Permanence pending: how young Chinese temporary migrants hope to stay in the UK. (2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Candice Hiu-Yan
• Is Part Of: International journal of migration and border studies. Volume 4:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 179
• Page End: 195
• Publication Date: 2018
• Subjects: Chinese temporary migrant -- highly educated migrant -- employment barriers -- visa -- sexual capital -- marriage -- agency -- UK -- China; Emigration and immigration -- Periodicals; Border security -- Periodicals; 304.805
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-2419

Abstract

Drawing on 30 in-depth qualitative interviews, this article examines the aspirations, constraints and abilities of young, highly educated, lower-middle and middle-class Chinese would-be-permanent migrants in the hope of prolonging their stay in the UK. It discusses the immigration and employment barriers, and stringent time-constraints that temporary migrants from China and Hong Kong face. This article argues that despite possessing adequate economic and cultural capital, and limited social capital, these migrants turn to marriage migration, the deployment of sexual capital, and the discourse of love as effective immigration strategies to achieve higher employability, better life chances and longer residence. This article emphasises migrants' agency, and the highly contextual nature of sexual relations in transnational migration, which blurs the boundaries of love and sex-for-visa arrangement.