Resumen
Many countries are experiencing significant increase in the number of skilled migrant workers as a result of economic growth, international division of labor and foreign investment. However, adjustment problems among the immigrants cause public concerns about their role and the value of their knowledge in the country of employment. This study aims to explore the relationship between explicit and tacit knowledge in the transnational mobility of skilled workers and their adjustment in Malaysia. The research reports results from an investigation using survey interviews. Although skilled immigrants were attracted to Malaysia as human capital mainly embodied in their explicit knowledge, their contributions were significantly conditioned by tacit knowledge through cultural and social relationships. Thus this study shows that the understanding of different forms of knowledge is important for stabilizing the intercultural competency and enhancing the success of skilled migrants in the host country. Keywords: Skilled migrant worker, tacit knowledge, explicit knowledge, economic globalization.