From Bridgehead to Consolidation – the Instrumental Careers of Skilled Migrants

Abstract         AbstractWith international careers and worker mobility becoming more prominent, skilled migrants have become an important, and permanent, feature of national and international economies. However,... [ view full abstract ]

Abstract        

Abstract

With international careers and worker mobility becoming more prominent, skilled migrants have become an important, and permanent, feature of national and international economies. However, with events like ‘Brexit’ and the tightening of immigration laws in many countries, the 21st. century world of work for international careerists is increasingly dynamic, complex and precarious. Because of their increasing importance to many host country’s labour markets, understanding how skilled migrants adapt and respond to this flux and instability is important for HRM scholars and practitioners alike.

This paper moves beyond the dominant focus on individual and organizational dimensions of global mobility; rather it highlights the under-explored importance of context in influencing the career paths and decisions of skilled migrants in a host country. Sharing in-depth career narratives from Eastern European skilled migrants who have migrated to Ireland, the paper highlights the relevance of context, provides an alternative explanation to the phenomenon of skilled migrant ‘underemployment’ and sets out how skilled migrants rationalize their career development and perceived success.

Keywords

Skilled migrants. Careers. Context. Career Narratives. Career Types.