ABSTRACT

Although previous research has considered both high- and low-skilled migrant workers’ career experiences in their host countries, this paper makes a unique contribution by presenting unmet career expectations of a cohort of professional migrant hotel workers in the UK. It injects a fresh insight by demonstrating their hotel skill and professionalism contribution to the UK hotel sector, yet progression of their hotel career is restricted by immigration regulations. Skilled migrant workers in this study encounter underemployment despite their qualifications and skills, resulting in career frustration. However, removal of immigration restrictions would permit their flexibility to change occupations, often to jobs where they can exploit their transferable skills. Empirical data were generated in the form of modified life histories, based on interviews that were conducted with Kenyan skilled migrant hotel workers. Examining the lived experiences of these workers presents a platform to highlight the role that structural factors play in inhibiting migrant workers’ hotel career progression. This paper suggests ways in which hotel employers can tap into the workers’ cultural capital in order to improve hotel business performance whilst making meaningful use of their qualifications and skills.

摘要

尽管以前的研究已经考虑了高技能和低技能的移民工人在其所在国的职业经历，但本文通过提出英国一群专业移民酒店工人的未满足职业期望，做出了独特的贡献。通过展示他们对英国酒店业的酒店技能和专业水平的贡献，它注入了新的见解，但是他们的酒店事业的发展受到移民法规的限制。本研究中的熟练移民工人尽管具备资历和技能，但仍会遇到就业不足的情况，从而导致职业挫败感。但是，取消移民限制将使他们能够灵活地改变职业，通常是从事可以利用其可转让技能的工作。经验数据以修改后的生活史的形式生成，根据对肯尼亚技术移民酒店工人的采访。检查这些工人的生活经验提供了一个平台，以突出结构性因素在抑制农民工旅馆业发展中的作用。本文提出了饭店老板利用工人的文化资本以提高饭店业务绩效，同时又有意义地利用其资历和技能的方法。