ABSTRACT
This chapter shifts focus to the intricate dynamics of immigration policy formulation and implementation, with an emphasis on the influential role of bureaucratic agencies in this process. It presents a theoretical framework for understanding immigration policy regimes and elucidates the distinctive features of the Korean immigration policy regime within this context. This chapter delves into the concept of ‘substantial governance of immigration policy’, analyzing the perceptions of bureaucrats—key actors in the immigration policy process—toward immigration and immigrants. These perceptions are shown to correlate with disparities in the precarity experienced by immigrants, highlighting how bureaucratic attitudes and decisions shape the lived realities of immigrant populations. Moreover, the chapter sheds light on the impact of intergovernmental relations—spanning from the central government to local authorities and public agencies—on the precarity experienced by immigrants. To provide a broader comparative perspective, the chapter engages in an analysis involving countries renowned for their immigration policies, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Japan, which has implemented Confucian cultural policies similar to Korea.
