Student immigration – Determinants of international graduate’s immigration behavior in the Netherlands

Abstract

In a modern and globally connected world, attracting highly skilled labor force can be seen as a solution to overcome implications of labor force shortages due to for example demographic changes. The decision process of international students whether to immigrate or return home after graduation is a complex process and is influenced by a variety of factors. In literature many factors have been recognized, however a holistic view is missing. Therefore, an explorative quantitative research approach was used to identify the most important factors contributing to the immigration behavior of international students in the Netherlands. After conducting a quantitative survey, the obtained data of 134 graduates was used to create regression models explaining the immigration behavior of international graduates. It has been shown that factors related to the job market, such as the perceived attractiveness of the Dutch job market as well as the effort a student has put into entering the job market during their education are significantly related to the immigration behavior. In addition, having a partner in the Netherlands is also positively related to immigration.