Pandemic and teacher retention: empirical evidence from expat teachers in Southeast Asia during COVID-19

Purpose This research aims to explore the influence of expat teachers' attitude about local policies, and their subjective norms of social engagement during COVID-19 over their intention to leave the current country, due to COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach This study uses analysis of variance (ANOVA) and structural equation model (SEM) to examine the perception of crisis and the intention to leave among 307 expat teachers in Southeast Asia during COVID-19 and highlights the importance of policy responses and social engagement toward the minimum teacher turnover rate. Findings The study reveals that, the higher perceived policy responses and community engagement the teachers acknowledge, the lower chance they will move to another country. Also, this paper presents the differences in expat teachers' perceptions and intentions among demographic factors such as teaching qualification, their current country of teaching, experience at the current country, income before, during and expected income after COVID-19. Originality/value The paper justifies a conceptual framework which provides a hypothetical explanation about the influence of perceived policy responses and community engagement over expat teachers' intention to leave.