Contemporary issues in Korean immigration

1
Contemporary issues in Korean immigration
Advancing a research agenda
Ann H. Kim, Department of Sociology, York
University Metropolis Brown Bag Series
Citizenship and Immigration Canada 16 December
2008 Ottawa
2
A framework
Sending country - Politics - Economics -
Culture - Social welfare
Receiving country - Politics - Economics -
Culture - Social welfare
Bilateral linkages between states
Transnational ties

• Modes of incorporation
• Governmental
• Societal
• Co-ethnic community
• Institutional determinants

Individual/family traits

• Dimensions of integration
• Spatial
• Economic
• Social
• Cultural

3
Todays presentation

• History of immigration
• Settlement patterns and emerging gateways
• Current community profile and transnationalism
• Economic integration and entrepreneurship
• Additional areas for investigation
• The second generation
• Immigrant seniors
• Religious organizations
• Data needs
• Summary of research priorities

4
A 45-year history?

• Diplomatic relations began in 1963
• First Canadian embassy in Korea in 1973
• Canadas military presence during the Korean war,
  1950-1953
• Official Canadian involvement in Korea in 1947
• Christian missionaries, late 19th century

5
Migration flows 1973-2006
Pre-1963 Missionary students
1997-2003 Asian financial crisis
2004- Emerging gateways
1987-1996 The business class
1963-1986 Permanent settlers
Sources Landed Immigrants, CLPR, Immigration
Statistics Years 1973 to 1996 (Employment and
Immigration Canada), 2006 Facts and Figures (CIC)
6
Recent destinations, CMAs
Source Intended Destination, 2006 Facts and
Figures (CIC)
7
Korean immigrants in Canada, CMAs ()
Source Landed Immigrants, 2006 Census
(Statistics Canada)
8
Recent arrivals

• Gradual dispersion to emerging gateways
• Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Hamilton,
  Abbotsford, Atlantic Canada
• PNP ? Winnipeg
• Research questions
• Impact of PNP
• Adjustment for both immigrants and local
  communities
• Attraction and retention

9
Ethnic Koreans by region
Source Ethnic Origins, 2006 Census (Statistics
Canada)
10
Ethnic Koreans, temporary residents

Source Ethnic Origins, Immigrant Status, 2006
Census (Statistics Canada)
11
Foreign student flows
Source Annual Flow, 2006 Facts and Figures (CIC)
12
Foreign students

• Growth facilitated by
• Access to money
• Governmental/non-governmental interventions
• Student visa exemption in 1994
• Canadian Experience Class in 2008
• Increasing contact between educational systems
• Export education industry

13
Foreign students, transnational families

• Transnationalism and the global economy
• Two types kirogi families, parachute children
• Research questions
• Quality of care under legal guardians
• Access to programs and support
• Settlement, adaptation, health, reluctance to
  return
• Temporary versus permanent streams
• Integration in existing Korean communities

14
Education and income
Source Ethnic Origins, Completed Education, 25
yrs, Mean Income, Full Time/Year, 2001 Census
(Statistics Canada)
15
Ethnic entrepreneurship
Source Ethnic Origins, 25 yrs, 2001 Census
(Statistics Canada)
16
Korean entrepreneurs

• Earliest immigrants worked in factories then
  turned to self-employment
• Ethnic niche for recent immigrants
• Research questions
• Determinants of self-employment
• Consequences of self-employment status loss,
  work-stress, family life, social engagement
• Impact of policy changes Sunday shopping
  legislation, tax policies, trade and the big box
  stores, Business Class Program

17
The 2nd generation

• 19 of ethnic Koreans
• High levels of education (60 university degree)
• Low levels of self-employment (lt10)
• Research questions
• Intergenerational mobility - upwardly mobile or
  expectedly mobile given parents education?
• Determinants of mobility of the second generation

18
Korean seniors

• Two groups
• Immigrants who become seniors
• Seniors who become immigrants
• Research questions
• How the age at arrival affects the aging
  experience
• Implications of sponsorship provisions
• Access to culturally- and linguistically-relevant
  services

19
Religion and religious organizations

• 70 Protestant or Catholic
• 80 members of religious organizations
• 300 churches, 10 temples
• Research questions
• Under what conditions do Korean religious
  organizations facilitate the settlement and
  integration process of immigrants?
• Role of religious organizations in community
  development

20
Data needs

• Landed data, prior to 1973
• PRDS data, prior to 1980
• Temporary resident data, disaggregated
• Foreign student data by level of school
• Temporary to permanent status
• Oversampling of smaller immigrant groups in
  national surveys

21
List of research priority areas

• Recent arrivals and emerging gateways
• Foreign students and transnational families
• Economic integration and self-employment
• The second generation
• Immigrant seniors
• Religious organizations