Acculturation, Coping and Integration Success of International Skilled Migrants: An Integrative Review and Multi-Level Framework

Abstract

In this article we review the limited but growing body of research on international skilled migrants and examine to what extent knowledge generated in adjacent research streams – specifically, work on assigned and self-initiated expatriates – can be meaningfully applied to aid our understanding of the challenges, coping strategies and acculturation dynamics of skilled migrants. We develop a framework that explains how variables and processes at multiple levels (individual, organisational, and societal) influence migrant acculturation and coping and result in integration-related outcomes in the domains of personal/family life and workplace/career. We discuss directions for future research and implications for practice.