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Abstract
This article investigates the role of overseas language study in the context of skilled migration with a particular focus on the experiences and outcomes of South Koreans studying English language in New Zealand. Through this case we illustrate the manner that language learners develop skills and embodied cultural capital that allow them to improve their socio-economic position in Korea or pursue migratory possibilities elsewhere. However, our findings also offer a qualification to common assertions about the global transferability of skills as we argue that skills are context reliant and cannot be separated either from the individual who possesses them or the places in which they are deployed. Finally, the paper also points to the different sorts of influences on post-study destinations that include not only economic rationalities but also individual experiences and the different characteristics of migratory regimes.
Notes
1. Study A included participants who were language students and those attending various tertiary institutes. For the purposes of this article, only students attending language schools or private training establishments have been included. The latter are often enrolled in courses such as business and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) with the aim of improving their English skills and career prospects.
2. Interviews in Study A were primarily carried out in English. Interviews in Study B were carried out in Korean and English and, where necessary, translated to English.
3. Gosam are students in the final year of high school in South Korea. They typically study extremely hard for the university entrance exam in Korea.