The Role of Language in International Migrants’ Work Life Experiences

This paper analyses international migrants’ experiences of work life in their new locations specifically from the perspective of how these experiences are (co-)shaped by language. Based on an exploratory qualitative study conducted in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, we identify commonalities and differences between different types of migrants’, ranging from highly qualified self-initiated expatriates to recognized refugees. The findings show that: 1) Limitations on the job market and the need to find a niche as well as the role of the national context, e.g., in the form of prevalent language ideologies, affect all migrants, 2) a hierarchy of languages creates status differences between migrants, which sometimes intersect with nationality- or culture-related preconceptions. We then discuss the implications for conceptualizations of language proficiency and for language expectations towards migrants. Keywords: Migration, migrant, language-sensitive IB, fluency, intersection, employment, work life.