○ Gyeonggi Province announces results of the 2025 Immigrant Social Integration Survey
○ A survey of 712 immigrants conducted across the province from June to August, providing a comprehensive analysis of economic activity, social participation, discrimination, and health

– Economic activity participation rate at 64.7%, with lower participation among women and a high proportion of temporary employment
○ Gyeonggi Province to pursue a policy shift toward a settled immigrant society, aiming to establish an inclusive regional model

According to the survey results, the growing proportion of long-term residents and foreign nationals of Korean descent among foreign residents in Gyeonggi Province suggests that policy measures should shift from a short-term stay–centered approach to one that supports long-term residence and settlement.

On December 15, Gyeonggi Province announced the results of the 2025 Gyeonggi Province Immigrant Social Integration Survey at a workshop held in Siheung for officials from immigrant support departments across the province’s 31 cities and counties.

According to 2023 statistics from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, approximately 810,000 foreign residents live in Gyeonggi Province, accounting for about 33% of the national total. In response to rapidly growing immigrant-related demand, the province surveyed 712 immigrants residing in Gyeonggi Province between June and August, examining their economic activity, family life, social participation, and experiences of discrimination.

By residency type, foreign workers accounted for the largest share at 22.3%, followed by foreign nationals of Korean descent (22.2%), marriage immigrants (21.3%), other foreign residents (14.3%), naturalized citizens (13.5%), and international students (6.3%). More than half of respondents (56.6%) were long-term residents who had lived in Korea for five years or more, including 29.8% who had resided in the country for 10 years or more and 26.8% who had lived there for 5 to 9 years.

The overall economic activity participation rate among respondents was 64.7%, with a notable gender gap: 85.2% for men compared to 52.2% for women. While the average proportion of regular employment among all immigrants was 53.5%, foreign nationals of Korean descent and other foreign residents showed particularly high proportions of temporary and daily employment—60.3% and 61.8%, respectively—indicating greater exposure to long working hours and employment instability.

The majority of naturalized citizens (97.0%), marriage immigrants (96.2%), and foreign nationals of Korean descent (93.0%) lived with their spouses. In contrast, only 19.6% of foreign workers lived with their spouses. Notably, even among foreign workers with children, only 11.2% lived with them, highlighting the need for policies that support family cohabitation.

Language barriers emerged as a common difficulty in both economic activity and family life. Among respondents, 41.2% cited insufficient Korean language proficiency as the greatest challenge in job searching, while 35.5% of immigrant children reported difficulties using Korean.

Regarding social participation, three out of four immigrants reported not having voting rights, while only 16.1% indicated that they had voting rights and had participated in elections. The main reasons for not voting were lack of time due to work (38.7%), not knowing they were eligible to vote (26.3%), and lack of interest (22.7%). In contrast, the election participation rate among naturalized citizens was high at 92.2%.

The rate of experiencing discrimination stood at 30.8%, including experiences such as being ignored or insulted, or facing disadvantages in employment or wages. Immigrants who had experienced discrimination reported a lower life satisfaction score of 6.5 points, compared to 7.26 points among those who had not. Their average depression and stress level was 10.74 points, higher than the 9.83 points reported by Korean nationals. This indicator consists of 11 items scored on a 0–3 scale, with higher scores indicating greater levels of depression. Despite these findings, fewer than 5% of immigrants reported using professional services such as psychiatric treatment or counseling at public health centers, emphasizing the need for enhanced policy support in this area.

Based on the survey findings, Gyeonggi Province plans to establish the Gyeonggi Province Comprehensive Plan for Immigrant Social Integration.

Kim Seong-hwan, Head of the Gyeonggi Province’s Immigration Society Support Division, stated, “This survey is significant as it represents the first official data to closely examine the realities of Gyeonggi Province’s immigrant community. As we rapidly transition toward a settled immigrant society, we will concentrate our policy capacity on ensuring that practical measures take root, including eliminating discrimination, expanding economic and social participation, and guaranteeing the right to health.”