Why some global professionals stay put - and others move on

04/12/2025


For years, my family moved every 3–4 years for one partner's job. Moving was never up for debate — it was just part of the deal when working internationally.

But where we moved? That's another story.

Here are just a few things we had to consider:

  • The job on offer

  • Host country and city

  • Climate and healthcare

  • Distance to family and friends

  • Schooling and daycare

  • Career opportunities for the accompanying partner

  • Money matters: salary, cost of living, and savings potential

  • Risk and safety

That's why I was excited to come across the work of Dr. Claire Maxwell and Dr. Gregor Schäfer. Their paper — Figurations of high-skilled mobility and re-migration – professional identity, the family and social incorporation – determinants of future mobility in a context of multinational migrations — explores what influences highly skilled professionals when deciding whether to move again… or stay put.

As Dr. Maxwell puts it:

"Research has tended to focus on why people move for work, and few studies examine what drives decisions around whether to be mobile again after a move, and how quickly."

Based on interviews with 52 highly skilled professionals in Denmark, the study reveals key factors influencing future mobility. Beyond the obvious (career development), other influential factors included:

  • Whether the partner wanted to work — and could

  • Strength of social life and friendships

  • Broader lifestyle benefits of living in Denmark (like healthcare, work-life balance, and education)

  • Nationality and visa opportunities/restrictions

  • Having children with a Danish parent

  • Wanting long-term access to free Danish education for their kids

I especially appreciated hearing this research presented at a conference in Bergen in August 2024. It resonated deeply with my experience as well as with many stories I've heard from other globally mobile families.

The globally mobile community is so diverse. It's essential that we think beyond just the job when supporting international professionals.

📚 Curious?
You can read a summary of the study [here] and the full research article [here].





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