Navigating the Australian labour market with employability capitals: strategies and agency of Chinese international graduates

This study explored the strategies and agency of Chinese international graduates in developing and utilising employability capitals (human, social, cultural, psychological, identity and agentic) in the Australian labour market. Two key discoveries emerged from in-depth interviews with 14 participants. First, Chinese international graduates challenged the deficit stereotype within the Bourdieusian approach; their agency thrived via valuable habitus, ethnic capital and field alignment. Second, prioritised employability outcomes agency and deliberate non-engagement agency emerged in the development and utilisation of employability capitals. These findings provide guidance for educators and international graduates and enrich policymaking for a smoother transition.