LANGUAGE AND SKILLED MIGRATION The outcomes of overseas language study for South Korean students in New Zealand Francis Leo Collins and Seunghee Pak This article investigates the role of overseas language study in the context of skilled migration with a particular focus on the experiences and outcomes of South Koreans studying English language in New Zealand. Through this case we illustrate the manner that language learners develop skills and embodied cultural capital that allow them to improve their socio-economic position in Korea or pursue migratory possibilities elsewhere. However, our findings also offer a qualification to common assertions about the global transferability of skills as we argue that skills are context reliant and cannot be separated either from the individual who possesses them or the places in which they are deployed. Finally, the paper also points to the different sorts of influences on post-study destinations that include not only economic rationalities but also individual experiences and the different characteristics of migratory regimes. KEYWORDS: English language; international students; skilled migration; South Korea; New Zealand Introduction This article discusses the experiences of language students in the context of skilled migration. In particular, we discuss the outcomes of studying English overseas for South Korean (hereafter Korean) language learners in terms of individual careers, migratory trajectories and personal orientation. We argue that the experiences of individuals who possess foreign language abilities, particularly English, can be usefully understood through reference to processes of skilled migration. Overseas language learners have not been considered in this literature but we argue that a focus on these individuals’ experiences usefully illustrates different levels of skilled migration and the contingency of skills in different locations. First, we begin by reviewing the literature on skilled migration and its connections to international student mobilities. Second, by way of context, we discuss the increasing value attached to English in Korea and the reasons students choose New Zealand as a study destination. The main discussion focuses on three outcomes from overseas language study*return to Korea, longer term stay in New Zealand, or migration to third countries. For each outcome we discuss the different values attached to language skills and the different strategies followed as a result. The conclusion emphasises the value of looking at overseas language study as skill development, the contingency of skills in different locale and the factors that influence choices about post-study destinations. Asian Population Studies, Vol. 4, No. 3, November 2008 ISSN 1744-1730 print/1744-1749 online/08/030347-16 – 2008 Taylor & Francis DOI: 10.1080/17441730802496540 Downloaded By: [Collins, Francis Leo] At: 01:55 24 November 2008