유학생의 체류자격 전환과 지역 정착 경험 연구 = A Study on the Visa Status Transition and Local Settlement Experience of International Students

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

(Purpose) This study explores the long-term visa status transition experiences of international students in Korea to derive policy implications for their successful local settlement. Analyzing the gap between policy goals and low settlement rates, this research identifies ruptures in the ‘education-work-migration nexus’ by conceptualizing students as ‘transitional migrants’.
(Research methods) In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 former international students who graduated from Korean universities and settled in A city. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis, structured by the ‘education-work-migration nexus’ policy chain, to examine their experiences and structural barriers.
(Research results) The findings reveal that the ‘education-work-migration nexus’ is ruptured at every stage. The 'study-to-work' transition is blocked by the ineffective D-10 (job-seeking) visa (due to work restrictions and high financial proof requirements) and the unrealistic income and major-relevance standards of the E-7 (employment) visa. The work-to-settlement transition remains unstable, marked by the precarity of employment-linked visas and high income barriers for F-2 (resident) visas. This policy mismatch forces graduates to seek alternative settlement paths, such as the F-6 (marriage migrant) visa, or to regress to a D-2 (student) visa, undermining the policy's original intent. Furthermore, the local settlement experience is characterized by ambivalence: while strong social networks (family, community) and a high quality of life act as pull factors, they are counteracted by push factors such as daily discrimination and weak local administrative support. Finally, even participants with stable visas (F-5, F-6) face ongoing institutional exclusion, experiencing life as ‘taxpayers without rights’, barred from critical financial (e.g., loans) and social welfare (e.g., childcare support) systems.
(Conclusion and recommendations) Successful local settlement hinges on a functional ‘policy chain’ that is currently broken. We recommend: 1) Reforming the ‘study-to-work’ transition (D-10, E-7 visas) by relaxing work restrictions and unrealistic income/major standards; 2) Strengthening regional governance to bridge the gap between local pull factors and administrative barriers; 3) Resolving 'institutional exclusion' by guaranteeing access to finance and social welfare for long-term residents; and 4) Easing restrictions on the economic activities of F-3 (accompanying family) visa holders to support family stability.