Inclusion, exclusion and evolving intentions: experiences of skilled migrants in Finland

Amid intensifying global talent competition, attracting and retaining highly skilled cosmopolitans is increasingly important for nations and international businesses. This study aims to advance understanding of how skilled migrants and their spouses experience relocation and settlement in a new country for work. Specifically, the study focuses on the lived experiences of international staff, and their spouses, in a Finnish multinational enterprise in Helsinki and explores how these experiences foster feelings of inclusion and exclusion, which in turn shape intentions to stay or leave. The stories reveal how perceptions of state-, organisational- and societal-level aspects, as well as everyday life in the community, influence well-being and satisfaction with life in Finland. We argue that perceived inclusion is fostered by opportunities to engage in cosmopolitan practices across both local and international social spaces. Conversely, anti-cosmopolitan dynamics operating at the societal level can disrupt inclusion and foster perceived exclusion.