Studies on careers mainly focus on individuals while overlooking the significant roles their partners at home may play and career reconstruction of migrants. This study draws on career construction theory to explore the vocational behaviors of knowledgeable migrants by capturing the nuanced complexities of their career mindset shift along their migration experiences. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 23 migrant couples, supplemented by secondary data related to their social and political context. The findings proposed a wave-like career construction framework illustrating a four-stage career reconstruction process for educated migrants: (1) established career life in the home country shaped by the identity with the interaction of self and social roles, stressing objective career success, (2) career deconstruction activated by life shocks for which social movement in home country acted as the primary catalyst for migration and career change decisions, (3) career reconstruction consolidated by cultural intelligence, particularly concerning psychosocial adaptation to cultural disparities in life and at work and new life priority and meaning, and (4) distinct career shift and new subjective career success to reduce stress levels in the host country, afford more personal and family time and foster overall well-being. The findings also shed light on the importance of family alignment and cognitive dissonance settlement along the career reconstruction process.
