The Factors Influencing Undergraduate Students' Intentions Toward Foreign Employment. As a case of Undergraduates at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Abstract

The local education system produces much of Sri Lanka's highly skilled human capital. A highly skilled workforce is essential for supporting Sri Lanka's economic growth. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka has faced a brain drain problem. While research studies have focused on the brain drain of professionals, limited research has been conducted on undergraduates' perceptions of expatriation. This study aims to identify the intentions of undergraduate students to seek foreign employment. Required information was obtained through a structured questionnaire and the sample size was 361. The sampling technique was stratified proportional random sampling. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to derive the inferences. The results indicate that career aspirations and the influence of family and friends significantly impact undergraduate students' intentions to work abroad. In contrast, salary expectations and quality of life do not have a significant effect. Additionally, positive relationships exist between these factors and students' intentions to seek foreign employment. Future research could focus on the intentions of foreign employment of undergraduates from state and private universities.