| More than 244 million people lived outside their country of origin in 2015, with more than 27 million being tertiary educated migrants in developed countries, the target group of this study. Serbia experienced several different waves of emigration over the past century, a pattern that has continued to this day. Qualified workers and youth migrated to developed countries in search for better lives, leaving behind a large number of single-member households. The United States and Canada are recognized as favorite destination for Serbian skilled workers. This study explores the settlement decisions of Serbian self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) in the United States. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 Serbian self-initiated expatriates and the data were analyzed using the framework analysis method. Serbian SIEs were motivated to move to the United States for career opportunities, self-worth validation, departure from social norms placed by the Serbian society, and normal, happy lives. Their decisions to stay are deeply influenced by their family members, possible repatriation or further journey dependent on favorable opportunities at home, potential boredom with a current lifestyle, and intention to start a family. Serbian SIEs navigate the macro system based on knowledge gained through exploration and transnational networks. They have chosen the path of individualism and integration in terms of their acculturation orientation, which puts them in balanced position for their own well-being. Serbian SIEs deliberately choose metropolitan areas, in which transnational attachments are fostered, and more opportunities arise. The decision theory, acculturation orientation, and transnational attachments are the main driving forces behind this explorative study, together with its foci on individual preferences and processes, social interactions, and socio-economic environment. |
