International Social Work, Ahead of Print.
Professional identity development in social work students and graduates is complicated by intertwining internal and external factors. This article reports findings from a subset of data from a longitudinal qualitative study which aims to understand what factors contribute to this group’s sense of professional identity. It draws on multiple interviews conducted with six international students/graduates in Australia, at approximately six-monthly intervals between 2021 and 2023. Findings indicate that the participants encountered intersecting barriers to professional identity, which outweighed facilitating factors. The study makes a unique contribution by addressing the current knowledge gap about how international students and graduates become social workers.