Imagined Communities of Chinese International Graduates in Australia and New Zealand

ABSTRACT The rapid increase in the number of international graduates seeking employment opportunities in host countries has been accompanied by a corresponding growth in related discourse regarding how international students could successfully benefit from post‐study work visa schemes and whether or not they are ‘career‐ready’ in local job markets. This study focuses on the linguistic capital among international graduates during their study–work transition processes. The qualitative analysis highlights that international graduates encounter various language‐related challenges during their transitions. However, their increased investment in English could not be simply interpreted as actions to overcome the language‐related challenges that they had encountered but was also for gaining access to their imagined communities, achieving non‐linguistic goals and employment outcomes. The study draws implications for understanding how international graduates could be better accommodated and encouraged to participate in the wider communities in their host countries. This is important knowledge, as enhancing employment outcomes is not only a goal for students pursuing international education but also of critical interest to countries seeking to sustain the international education industry.