Social Networks and Turnover among Foreign Workers in Korea

Hyunggi Park, Seokho Kim, Jungwhan Lee

This study examines how foreign workers’social networks are related to their turnover experiences. It especially focuses on the effects of social network properties on the outcomes of job search activity among migrant workers under the “Employment Permit System(EPS)” in Korea. The Data analyzed in this study is from the 『2010 Survey on Employment and Living Conditions of Migrant Workers in Korea』conducted by Human Resources Development Service of Korea. The data include 776 migrant workers from Vietnam, Philippine, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri-Lanka and Mongolia. The result are as follows. Firstly, the larger migrant workers have friend from the same country or the higher they have capability to collect new job information, the higher the likelihood to change the occupation. Secondly, strong ties are more efficient than weak ties when it comes to the transmission and dissemination of job information. Thirdly, participation in Korean voluntary associations turned out to be significantly decreasing the possibility that migrant workers change their workplaces.

Key Words: Foreign Workers, Social Capital, Social Network, Turnover, Employment Permit System

Korea Journal of Population Studies 37(1), 2014.3, 31-57(27 pages)