Strategic Drivers of Students’ Intention to Work Abroad: Evidence from Vietnamese International Students in Australia

In the era of rapid technological change and rising global uncertainty — where digitalisation, remote work and skills churn reshape organisational strategies — workforce mobility and the readiness of early-career talent constitute a key element of business dynamics in the disruptive economy. This study examines how disaggregated dimensions of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and selected Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) antecedents predict students’ intention to work abroad, and whether Multicultural Experience (MCE) moderates these relationships. Motivated by limited attention to current international students and the frequent treatment of CQ as an aggregate construct, we test metacognitive, cognitive, motivational and behavioural CQ alongside subjective norm in a sample of 458 Vietnamese international students in Australia. Results indicate that metacognitive CQ is the strongest predictor of intention to work abroad, followed by behavioural, motivational and cognitive CQ; subjective norm also contributes positively. Crucially, MCE significantly moderates the effects of motivational and behavioural CQ, amplifying their association with intention. Findings suggest that interventions aimed at strengthening reflective cultural awareness and observable behavioural adaptability—combined with structured multicultural exposure—are likely to increase international career intentions among students. By linking these intention patterns to organisational levers for sourcing, developing and deploying globally mobile early-career talent, the study informs workforce strategy in disruptive contexts. The study contributes to TPB research by mapping CQ dimensions onto belief- and control-related antecedents and highlights MCE as an important boundary condition for translating capability into intention. Research purpose: This study examines how specific dimensions of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) antecedents shape students’ intention to work abroad, and tests whether Multicultural Experience (MCE) moderates these relationships among Vietnamese international students in Australia. Research motivation: Prior research has focused on employees or recent graduates and often treats CQ as an aggregate construct or treats MCE as a control variable. We address these gaps by disaggregating CQ into metacognitive, cognitive, motivational and behavioural dimensions, mapping selected dimensions onto TPB constructs, and explicitly testing MCE as a moderator. Research design, approach, and method: A cross-sectional survey collected 458 valid responses from Vietnamese students in Australia. Validated scales were adapted for the sample; MCE was operationalised as an exposure/interaction index and reduced to an 8-item scale after EFA. Data were analysed using PLS-SEM (SmartPLS) to assess measurement and structural models, with bootstrapping to test hypotheses. Main findings: Metacognitive CQ emerged as the strongest predictor of intention to work abroad, followed by behavioural, motivational and cognitive CQ; subjective norm also had a positive effect. MCE significantly moderated the effects of motivational and behavioural CQ on intention, amplifying these relationships. The full model explained ≈52% of variance in intention (R2 ≈ 0.52). Practical/managerial implications: Results suggest higher education providers and employers should prioritise metacognitive and behavioural CQ development and foster structured multicultural experiences to enhance students’ global career readiness.