Investigating Turnover Intentions of Immigrant Software Engineers

Abstract

Context: Software companies around the world rely on immigrant software engineers to fill their gaps in the workforce. However, immigrants leave their jobs at higher rates than native-born workers.

Objective: Our objective is to investigate factors contributing to the increased turnover of software engineers with immigrant backgrounds.

Methodology: We conducted a grounded theory study interviewing twenty software engineers with immigrant backgrounds originating from seven different countries.

Results: Participants identified four primary factors that shape their turnover intentions: career stagnation, compensation, remote work preferences, and family. Social embeddedness---how connected individuals feel to their surrounding communities and institutions---served as a secondary factor, and immigration policies acted as constraints to actual turnover behavior.

Recommendations: In order to reduce turnover, we recommend that organizations pay their immigrant engineers market rates, provide growth opportunities, and offer remote work options to enhance the retention of migrant engineers. For governments, we recommend implementing employer-agnostic visas, extending renewals for expiring visas, and funding programs that promote the cultural integration of new immigrants.