Abstract
This paper uncovers language-related issues that skilled female migrants face and what their strategies are to (re-)build their careers after migrating. Using an inductive, interpretative research methodology, the author conducted 19 in-depth interviews with skilled German women who had migrated to France. Contrary to the findings of extant research, the study revealed that host country language proficiency played a minor role in the migration motivation, choice of destination, and labor market integration in this sample. However, the informants’ mother tongue (German) and their proficiency in English were perceived as competitive advantages when it came to integrating into the labor market. For some, these particular language skills even led to a conscious change of career. The findings demonstrate that language proficiency goes beyond grammatical mastery but relates, more importantly, to culture-sensitive communication skills underlining the importance of investigating language associated with the concept of culture. This study contributes to the language-related literature on international migration by combining different strands of research and levels of analysis to obtain a more holistic picture of the complex impact of language and its culture-relatedness.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: International Journal of Cross Cultural Management
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.