Acculturation and Well-Being: The Experiences of High-Skilled Hong Kong Immigrants in the UK
摘要
Since the launch of the Hong Kong BN(O) visa route in 2021, there has been a significant influx of Hong Kong immigrants to the UK. Unlike the majority of migration literature, which usually samples economic migrants moving from developing to developed countries, this chapter examines a distinct group—highly educated, migrants from a developed region—Hong Kong. We explore the full migration journey of Hong Kong immigrants. First, we consider their individual characteristics, such as proactive personality, English proficiency, and permanent settlement intentions. Second, drawing on Berry’s acculturation model, we investigate how the individual characteristics may shape their acculturation strategies and how these relate to their mental well-being and career trajectories after migration. Our findings highlight that acculturation strategies are not merely a preference but are shaped by both individual dispositions and contextual constraints. Notably, acculturation strategies also appear to serve as coping mechanisms in response to career-related challenges. For instance, migrants who adopt a separation strategy report higher levels of overqualification, while assimilation report lower levels of overqualification.