This study examines the changes of roles of male partners in international dual-career couples (IDCCs) during expatriation, applying gender order theory and the taxonomy of partners’ roles. Through qualitative interviews with 15 female expatriates and their male partners (n=30), we identified the central role of supportive and flexible roles during the initial stages of expatriation. Two different forms of flexibility emerged: disruptive flexibility, where male partners temporarily paused their careers, and digital flexibility, where careers were sustained through digital tools (e.g., remote work). While the findings highlight positive experiences linked to these roles in early stages of expatriation, the perceptions sometimes shifted over time. This lead to role re-evaluations toward more equal roles, marked by shared responsibilities and more equal focus on both partners' careers, and toward more restrictive roles, where male partners started to prioritize their careers. We also identified three patterns of role renegotiation: reaffirmation pattern, re-arrangements pattern, and conflict pattern. The role transitions were associated with experiences of displaced professional identity, psychological time, cultural differences, and shifts in bargaining power within the couple. These findings offer new insights into the changes of partner roles in IDCCs and identifies different development patterns as well as reasons behind such transitions.
