Poster #8 - Capabilities Under Constraint: Immigration Policy and Wellbeing of Highly Educated Immigrants

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

Migration is shaped by a complex interplay of political, economic, and social factors that drive individuals to seek stability and better opportunities abroad. Highly educated immigrants (HEIs) from Iran, India, and China are essential contributors to U.S. research, innovation, and the economy, yet their capacity to plan for the future, maintain wellbeing, and fully utilize their expertise is often constrained by visa regimes, bureaucratic delays, and geopolitical tensions. Despite their contributions, these dynamics remain underexplored.
Guided by the Capability Approach, which defines wellbeing as the substantive freedoms to pursue valued functionings across legal, professional, and personal domains, this study asks: How do HEIs from Iran, India, and China experience and navigate U.S. immigration policies in relation to their capabilities, health, and lived wellbeing, and what adaptive strategies and forms of agency do they employ in response?
Using a qualitative, phenomenological design, we conducted 50 semi-structured interviews with highly educated immigrants, supplemented by key informant perspectives from faculty advisors and professional staff across U.S. universities. Data were collected using purposive and snowball sampling and analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. Interviews were conducted in English via Zoom and transcribed using Zoom’s transcription feature. Analysis was inductive, beginning with familiarization and open coding. Each transcript was coded by two researchers, with regular team meetings to refine codes and develop a shared codebook. The principal investigator led the synthesis of codes into higher-order themes and facilitated reflexive discussions with the research team. Memos were maintained throughout the process, and negative case analysis was used to enhance analytic rigor.
Three major themes emerged: (1) structural barriers and visa precarity, characterized by prolonged processing delays, legal uncertainty, and restricted mobility; (2) psychosocial strain and disrupted personal lives, including family separation, stress, and a diminished sense of control over the future; and (3) constrained professional pathways, where work authorization limitations and policy uncertainty lead to underutilization of skills despite high levels of human capital. At the same time, participants demonstrated agency by adapting expectations, strategically navigating institutional systems, and leveraging social and professional networks to mitigate these constraints.
Findings highlight how immigration policy functions as a structural and social determinant of wellbeing, shaping not only legal status but also emotional wellbeing, social relationships, and economic participation. Participants consistently emphasized the need for more transparent and predictable visa and immigration processes, reduced administrative delays, and clearer pathways that allow them to make long-term educational, professional, and family decisions. Many also pointed to the importance of policies that facilitate family reunification, reduce prolonged uncertainty during status transitions, and expand opportunities for meaningful work and professional development during training periods. By situating migrant experiences within broader governance and policy contexts, this study extends the application of the Capability Approach to high-skilled migration and provides empirically grounded insights to inform more responsive and equitable immigration systems.

Authors

• Sahar Badiezadeh, University of Massachusetts at Boston
  Presenting Author

• Mitra Naseh, Washington University in St. Louis
  Non-Presenting Co-Author