Maurice Schiff was born in Belgium, got his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Economics from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and his PhD from the University of Chicago. He spent two years as Professor and Research Director of the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Concepcion, Chile, after which he joined the World Bank. He worked at the World Bank as Lead Economist in the Development Research Group and in the Office of the Chief Economist of the Latin America and Caribbean Region, and is currently International Consultant.

His work has focused on different aspects of development, including international trade [sector-specific and economy-wide policies' impact on developing country agriculture, trade-related technology diffusion, regional integration, commodities' trade]; international migration [brain drain; migration's impact on fertility and on social capital, ability drain]; nutrition; and natural resources, trade and migration.

He joined IZA as a Research Fellow in January 2004.