외국인 노동자의 체류장기화에 관한 연구

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the reasons that immigrant workers from Thailand who live in Gimhae city in Gyeongsangnam-do remain in Korea for an extended period. Economic approaches on immigrant workers are not appropriate for analyzing the phenomenon that immigrant workers extend their stay in Korea, this thesis attempts to explain it by applying the immigrant systems theory to the case of Thai workers in Gimhae. From the perspective that the construction of social networks contributes to accelerating their prolonged stay, a questionnaire survey of fifty Thai immigrant workers in Gimhae was conducted as the preliminary research to find how they build their social network and what sort of activities they do by using it. The result indicates that their social networks are useful for increasing marriage opportunities and obtaining the information of the job in better possible condition and subsidiary jobs. Thus, the hypotheses that the author built is the following. When the Thai immigrant workers make and utilize more extensive social networks; 1) they can increase marriage opportunities; 2) they can obtain information for obtaining a better income; 3) they can increase chances for having side jobs. Interviews with Thai immigrant workers in Gimhae were carried to examine the hypotheses. As for the marriage, when they build more intensive social networks, the opportunities for finding spouses-to-be increase. Those who married in Korea may remain in Korea for a prolonged period. The Immigrant workers whose stay in Korea is legally acknowledged have stable income sources so that they extend their social networks, which become a social capital for them, and exchange information for seeking job opportunities for obtaining a better income. However, they do not use such social resources for changing jobs. By contrast, the illegal immigrants are unable to collect information for a better job and for getting better income, as the opportunities for expanding their social networks are limited. No legal resident is engaged in a side business. Some illegal immigrants have a subsidiary business by mobilising their networks. No legal resident is engaged in a side business. Some illegal immigrants have a subsidiary business by mobilising their networks. As such business relations are active only for pursuing financial gain, they may not change them to sustainable and mutually supportive relationships. If they could be successful in doing so, it may lead them to remain in Korea for an extended period.