Expat Partners' Career Capital

06/29/2025


Global relocation and strengthened career capital

It is widely recognized that global mobility can be a challenging experience for the person relocating for work as well as their partner. Challenges and barriers to maintaining dual careers in global mobility are well documented, as are partners' career setbacks on relocation. Supporting partners to retain international talent is essential. 

It is, furthermore, widely accepted that international exposure contributes to strengthening career capital. 

But does this hold true for the expat partner as well? Is a global relocation potentially a positive career growth experience for the expat partner, despite their perceived challenges and formal career setbacks? Should 'supporting the expat partner' include identifying transferable career capital and how to use it in the host country context?

What is career capital?

Career capital in this text is defined as three interdependent dimensions: 

  • Knowing-why (motivation, identity, values)
  • Knowing-how (skills, abilities, knowledge)
  • Knowing-whom (network/social and professional relationships)

This way of thinking around career capital rests on an understanding of careers as something the individual takes charge of developing (as opposed to the employer organization). For further reading into this, I suggest 'boundaryless careers theory' and 'protean career theory.'

Career capital for the expat partner 

A 2020 qualitative study by Kaisu Kanstren and Vesa Suutari at the University of Vaasa, Finland, explores how international relocation affects the career development of the accompanying partners in dual career couples. Drawing on qualitative interviews with Finnish 12 partners (both employed and non-employed) across various countries and contexts, the researchers identify the transformational and developmental nature of life abroad, even where formal employment was not possible.

All participants, regardless of employment status, highlighted both challenges and personal growth. Despite barriers like work permit issues or childcare responsibilities, most found ways to gain valuable skills and insight. The experience abroad was seen as transformative: a chance to reflect, adapt, and reimagine their professional paths.

Development of Career Capital

The findings are structured around the development of the three key types of career capital summarized above: knowing-why, knowing-how, and knowing-whom.

Knowing-Why Capital: Motivation, Identity & Purpose

Living abroad provided a space for deep self-reflection, allowing partners to:

  • Reassess their values, career goals, and sense of purpose

  • Gain confidence from managing unfamiliar environments

  • Identify new career interests and directions

"Being abroad has changed me as a person. I no longer felt my previous job was suitable for me." – Amanda, now an entrepreneur

Even those not employed found the experience valuable for building motivation and rethinking long-term plans.

Knowing-How Capital: Skills and Competencies

The majority of partners developed transferable skills, including:

  • Cross-cultural communication and people skills

  • Language skills (local language and/or English)

  • Self-management, adaptability, and resilience

  • Job-specific expertise for those employed or working remotely

Remote workers and those in demanding roles built or extended their industry knowledge, business understanding, and intercultural leadership competencies.

Knowing-Whom Capital: Networks and Connections

Social capital emerged from both professional and personal networks:

  • Networks were built through hobbies, children's schools, volunteering, and professional roles

  • Active networking was seen as essential, particularly in unfamiliar cultural contexts

  • Some networks were highly transferable, enabling entrepreneurship or career transitions

  • Others—especially host-country-specific ones—were harder to leverage upon return, underscoring the challenge of reintegration

"When we came back, they said I had no experience because I hadn't worked in Finland." – Sara, lawyer with extensive international experience

Yet others, like Amanda, used host-country contacts to launch successful businesses post-relocation.

Key Takeaway

Even when partners are not employed during their time abroad, they gain valuable career capital through personal development, informal work, networking, and adaptation. The findings challenge the narrow view that only formal work builds employability, and highlight how relocation can reframe career identity and opportunity.

Supporting the expat partner in a dual-career couple should start with looking at career capital from a growth perspective: identifying transferable skills and development rather than looking for 'gaps' in a linear career path. 

Further learning

  • Want to download the infographic to help you understand your career capital? Click the download file button below. 
  • Want to read a full review and discussion of this study? Here's the link.
DOWNLOAD Infog...cept.pdf
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