本研究結果指出「台幹」到「台勞」之轉變，不僅反映兩岸經濟結構與勞動市場之變化，也呈現跨境工作者在身份認同、風險感知與生涯意義上的重構過程。研究結果除可補充台灣赴陸工作者相關的研究缺口外，亦可作為企業跨境人力資源管理與政府未來人才政策制定之參考。;Along with China’s undergoing economic slowdown， industrial restructuring， and the conflict of geopolitics， Taiwanese expatriates， once regarded as possessing superior professional expertise and managerial status， have experienced the threats of declining social prestige， weakening competitive advantages， and increasing career uncertainty. As a result， stigmatizing labels such as “Taiwanese laborers” and “Taiwanese drifters” have been applied to describe their marginalized position. Against the backdrop of diminishing economic opportunities in China and rising geopolitical risks， this study aims to explore how Taiwanese workers in China perceive changes in their identity， occupational risks， and subsequent career decisions.
This study adopts a qualitative research approach and employs semi-structured in-depth interviews as the primary method of data collection. Ten Taiwanese individuals with work experience in China from different industries， age groups， and migration periods were interviewed. The analysis is grounded in social identity theory， occupational risk perception， career construction theory， push-pull migration theory， and the concept of sunk costs. Interview transcripts were analyzed through coding and thematic analysis.
The findings indicate that the identity of Taiwanese workers in China has shifted from the previously privileged role of “Taiwanese managers” to a more uncertain and marginalized status. Most participants reported increasing pressure from the rise of local Chinese talent， shrinking salary advantages， declining organizational trust， and growing political risks， all of which contributed to heightened career anxiety. In addition， significant generational differences were identified in terms of risk perception and career choices. Earlier generations of Taiwanese expatriates， due to higher sunk costs accumulated over time， were more likely to remain in China or seek opportunities in third countries. In contrast， later generations placed greater emphasis on work flexibility， quality of life， and long-term stability， resulting in lower intentions to remain in China permanently.
This study argues that the transition from “Taiwanese expatriate managers” to “Taiwanese laborers/drifters” reflects not only structural changes in cross-strait economic relations and labor markets， but also the reconstruction of identity， risk perception， and career meaning among transnational workers. The findings contribute to the literature on Taiwanese professionals working in China and provide practical implications for cross-border human resource management and government talent policies.
