Contributions of Employability Capitals to the Employability of Chinese International Graduates in Australia

Abstract

Although increasing attention has been paid to the importance of different forms of capital in graduate employability, few studies have investigated the contribution of capital to the employability of international graduates in the host labor market. This study aimed to explore how six forms of capital (human, social, cultural, psychological, identity, and agentic) contribute to the employability of Chinese international graduates in Australia. This study deploys Bourdieusian theories and a capitals-based approach as complementary theoretical frameworks. A mixed-methods approach was used in this study. Data were first collected via an online survey ( N = 203) and then through in-depth interviews ( N = 14). The quantitative results showed that cultural capital made the highest self-perceived contribution to employability, whereas social capital made the lowest contribution. The qualitative findings revealed that capital not only helped the participants obtain employment but also enhanced their wellbeing, sustainable employment, and professional growth.