ABSTRACT

Despite a significant number of international graduates staying in the host countries on post-graduation visas, their experiences in gaining access to the host labour market are less documented. This article addresses this critical but under-researched topic. It discusses the ecological circumstances impacting international graduates’ participation in the Australian host labour market, including the temporality of their visas, employers’ concerns, constraints of the market, time issue and bargaining position. Drawing on agency theory, the study shows two forms of agency enacted by international graduates in navigating the host market: needs-response agency, entailing their choice of field, persistence, and early job-seeking, and agency as becoming, entailing their professional identity development to become more employable. The study found the following common strategies adopted by international graduates: proactively explaining their work rights to employers, using alternative job search channels, reskilling, evidencing their professional skills, undertaking internships, networking and creating jobs for themselves and other peers. The study offered fresh insights into international graduates’ career adaptive behaviours, job-seeking skills and career management skills.

摘要

尽管有大量国际毕业生持有毕业后签证留在东道国，但他们在进入东道国劳动力市场方面的经验却鲜有记载。本文讨论了这个关键但研究不足的主题。它讨论了影响国际毕业生参与澳大利亚东道国劳动力市场的生态环境，包括签证的时效性、雇主的担忧、市场限制、时间问题和谈判地位。该研究借鉴代理理论，展示了国际毕业生在驾驭东道国市场时制定的两种代理形式：需求响应代理，包括他们对领域的选择、坚持和早期求职，以及代理作为成为，包括他们的专业身份发展，使其更具就业能力。研究发现国际毕业生采用以下常见策略：主动向雇主解释他们的工作权利、使用替代的求职渠道、重新培训、证明他们的专业技能、进行实习、建立网络以及为自己和其他同龄人创造就业机会。该研究为国际毕业生的职业适应行为、求职技能和职业管理技能提供了新的见解。