Aspirations‐Capabilities of School‐to‐Work Transition in a Migratory Context: A Case of Thai Tertiary‐Level Migrants in Taiwan

ABSTRACT This article explores aspirations‐capabilities of Thai migrants who transitioned from tertiary education to employment in Taiwan. Drawing on semi‐structured interviews with 23 Thai migrants, this study unpacks three distinct mobility trajectories under a processual perspective. First, an intentional transition reflects an aspiration rooted in accumulating economic capital for future mobility. Second, an incidental transition manifests the aspirational shift from study to romantic and affective aspirations with the hope of permanent residency. Third, a sexualized transition unveils the desires of homosexual migrants to permanently reside in Taiwan due to the pursuit of romantic relationships and belonging. This typology challenges conventional theories by conceptualising a school‐to‐work transition as multifaceted aspirations, not a mere economic pursuit.