| Abstract | This systematic literature review examined the emerging concept of systemic intercultural communication apprehension (SICA) among migrant Filipino teachers in their host country institutions. While intercultural communication apprehension (ICA) has traditionally been understood as an individual-level phenomenon related to fear or anxiety in intercultural encounters, few empirical evidence show how ICA among teachers potentially transcends linguistic or psychological dimensions and instead is shaped by broader sociocultural systems, institutional structures, and power relations embedded in the communication dynamics and
realities within the organizations they form part of. To examine this, thirteen qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies were selected following the PRISMA 2020 guideline and analyzed using Thomas and Harden’s (2008) three-level thematic synthesis. Through rigorous line-by-line, descriptive, and analytic coding, the review identified patterns of apprehension linked to cultural distance, organizational communication systems such as workplace hierarchies, and administrative and other discrimination tied to non-nativeness. Findings suggest that SICA represents a significant, understudied phenomenon affecting migrant educators' communication efficacy, organizational safety, overall competence, and broader professional integration. The review addresses the research gap on structural inequalities that shape the teachers’ intercultural relations and communication systems. Analysis on findings also revealed how existing coping strategies can inform potential interventions, yet do not include the utilization nor the existence of systems, platforms, or tools for feedback or dialogue, which is key in developing intercultural communication competence in organizations. To further bridge empirical gaps, the review proposes the SICA Indicator Checklist to guide researchers, policymakers, and educational organizations in diagnosing SICA across different locales and school systems. The checklist functions as both a decision-making framework and a research instrument, facilitating comparative studies and informing policy interventions. Despite its potential, the checklist remains limited in scope and application, therefore refinements are encouraged, as well as further research for interventions that promote inclusive communication climates, intercultural transformations in organizational communication systems, interculturally sensitive communication platforms and opportunities, and equitable intercultural integration within global teaching environments using the SICA lens. |
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