International Migration of Highly Qualified Housewife Mothers and Their Career Concerns

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of highly educated mothers with at least one child who have left their jobs and have immigrated to the UK because of their spouse's job. The study investigates the barriers that these Turkish women may face in the UK. Research on immigrants has been mostly restricted to quantitative methods which rely on statistical data sets. A search of the literature revealed that qualitative studies are rarely used within the field. In order to examine this issue, in-depth interviews were held with 20 Turkish participants who meet the research criteria. Integrating these findings with relevant international migration theories, this study reveals that those highly educated Turkish women with advanced career success who took part in this research have not managed to break the cycle of traditional gender roles. It also shows that these women have not only taken care of their children, but also have established a harmonious family environment in order to assist their husbands' career. The findings of this study show that moving to the UK with their spouses inevitably has resulted in a decline in the career success, financial and social status for the participants. Methods and Results: In this study, the aim was to understand the experiences of highly qualified immigrant housewife mothers who live in the UK. While many studies focus on employed mothers, who deal with both career and motherhood, there is a lack research on highly qualified mothers who choose to stay at home with their children. And when immigration is also involved in, the case is becoming much different. Conclusion: “This study revealed the experiences of 20 highly qualified Turkish immigrant housewife mothers in the UK. While these women, immigrating to the UK by accompanying their spouses, had professional careers prior to migration, since moving to the UK some of them found position at least equal to or lower than the positions of their spouses, and they often get stuck in the lowest part of labor market. A series of intertwined factors (inability to find a job, insufficiency of foreign language, and some personal reasons) contribute to the challenges faced by these women who also have childcare responsibilities.