Portrayal of Skilled Migrants' Careers in Business and Management Studies: A Review of the Literature and Future Research Agenda

A systematic literature review in business and management studies was conducted, which paints a portrait of the existing literature on skilled migrants' host country career experiences. Core themes arising from this review are presented, including labeling inconsistency concerning the population (with researchers using terminology such as ‘skilled migrants,’ ‘immigrant professionals’ and ‘qualified immigrants’ interchangeably); the need for including skilled migrant managers and business professionals in research (rather than concentrating on lower‐level employment categories only); and a more relational, holistic realization of skilled migrants' careers (rather than the current literature's negative portrayal, propounding the image of migrants as exploited or under‐utilized). In underlining the gaps in the literature and research in this area, a research agenda is proposed. The review is relevant for individuals following careers in a foreign country; for organizations employing and developing the careers of internationally mobile employees; and for human resource management professionals supporting international employees.