Previous research has shown that cultural intelligence is a positive predictor of expatriate career intentions among university students, but little is known about the "how" of this relationship. In a first study (N = 241) we provide evidence for the incremental validity of cultural intelligence, by showing that cultural intelligence predicts expatriate career intentions over and above emotional intelligence and the five-factor model of personality. In a second study (N = 469), we find that expatriate career self-efficacy mediates the link between cultural intelligence and expatriate career intentions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.