Work Engagement, Sociocultural Adapation, and Perceived Career Sustainability as Predictors of Retention Intention Among Filipino Teachers in Thailand: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Abstract

Teacher retention remains a persistent challenge in global education systems, particularly in contexts that rely on migrant educators to address workforce shortages. In Thailand, Filipino teachers constitute a significant segment of the foreign teaching workforce, yet empirical evidence explaining their retention intention remains limited. This study examined the predictive influence of work engagement, sociocultural adaptation, and perceived career sustainability on retention intention among Filipino teachers in Thailand. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving 516 Filipino teachers working in formal educational institutions across the country. Data were collected using validated instruments, and structural equation modeling was applied to test the hypothesized relationships among the variables. The results revealed that work engagement, sociocultural adaptation, and perceived career sustainability did not exert significant direct effects on retention intention, and the overall structural model demonstrated minimal explanatory power. These findings suggest that individual-level psychological and adaptation-related factors may be insufficient in explaining retention intention in this context. Instead, retention appears to be more strongly shaped by broader structural and employment-related conditions. The study contributes to the literature by challenging prevailing assumptions about teacher retention and underscores the need to reexamine theoretical models and develop context-responsive strategies for supporting migrant teachers in cross-cultural educational settings.