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Aim: This paper is part of a larger doctoral study that investigated the impact of nationality on the job satisfaction of nurses and their intentions to leave Saudi Arabian government hospitals. The paper aims to gain an understanding of the impact of expatriate status on nurses' perceptions, by comparing the factors that influence job satisfaction among Saudi nurses to those that affect nurses recruited from other countries. Background: Job satisfaction is a known predictor of nurse retention. Although there is a broad understanding of the factors that affect job satisfaction, little is known about how these vary between home and expatriate nurses working in countries which rely on a multicultural migrant workforce. Methods: A descriptive qualitative approach was taken, in which 26 semi‐structured interviews were conducted with nurses selected from different nationalities, all of whom were working in Saudi Arabian hospitals. Eight participants were Saudi Arabian, six Filipino, four Indian, four South African, two Jordanian and two Malaysian. Findings: Five themes were identified that differentiated the perceptions of expatriates regarding their job satisfaction from those of the home nurses: separation from family, language and communication, fairness of remuneration, moving into the future and professionalism. Conclusion: Focusing on the enhancement of job satisfaction experienced by expatriate nurses can result in a healthier work environment and greater retention of these nurses. Implications for nursing and nursing policy: To enhance nurse retention, policy makers in countries with migrant nurses should address their socio‐economic needs. This includes providing both greater access to their dependent family members, and language lessons and cultural orientation to reduce linguistic and cultural challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]