[Op-Ed] Public Consensus and Systematic Preparation Essential for a New Immigration Policy

Maintaining a Balance Between Attracting Talent and Social Integration, and Establishing Immigration Programs Through Changes in Technology and Education Systems

Revitalizing the economy and addressing labor shortages vs. social conflict, rising crime rates, and increasing welfare costs

52% of Silicon Valley startups in the United States were founded by immigrants... Europe has seen increased terrorism and cultural clashes stemming from immigrants

Discussion of immigration policy is actively taking place across all sectors of our society. Behind this lies the issue of demographic decline. In response, some government officials have proposed expanding the inflow of foreigners as a fundamental solution to the low birth rate problem, emphasizing the need to address labor shortages and secure growth momentum for the future.

Public opinion remains divided. According to a Korea Research survey, views on expanding immigration policy as a solution to low birth rates and population aging are split evenly. People evaluate factors such as immigrants’ skill levels, age, country of origin, and religion.

While there is hope that an inflow of talent will play a positive role in revitalizing the economy and addressing labor shortages, concerns are also evident over social conflict, rising crime rates, and increasing welfare costs. In particular, given the high demand for immigrants in rural areas and in small-scale manufacturing and service industries, a balanced discussion is needed between economic benefits and social integration policies.

The United States and European countries have actively accepted immigrants. This has produced positive effects. For example, 52% of startups in Silicon Valley, a symbol of technological innovation, were founded by immigrants. In other words, immigrants in Silicon Valley were part of the reason the U.S. economy has been able to lead the world.

However, the social conflict and backlash caused by immigration have also been substantial. In Europe especially, multiculturalism policies failed to take root properly, leading to frequent increases in terrorism and cultural clashes involving immigrants. In Sweden, for example, as the number of immigrants increased, the number of violent gangs surged, pushing up crime rates and deepening fiscal instability as well. This shows that when designing immigration policy, policymakers must carefully consider not only fiscal outcomes but also social impacts.

To respond effectively to labor shortages, immigration policy needs to be developed with great care. Foreign workers play an important role in productivity and economic growth. As of 2022, more than 430,000 foreign workers were helping revitalize local economies in Korea and contributing across a wide range of industries. In addition, remittances sent home by foreign workers also have a positive effect on the economies of developing countries.

At the same time, considering the need for skilled labor and improvement in the demographic structure, a policy approach is needed that goes beyond simply bringing in foreign workers and supports immigrants’ long-term settlement. The inflow of immigrants can be considered a key factor in the sustainability of the Korean economy.

What Korea urgently needs is a policy of selectively attracting the talent the country requires. The most effective approach would be to focus on the field of education, which can naturally secure professional talent. I believe the government’s plan to strengthen the educational competitiveness of international students was also based on this idea.

At present, many international students are facing difficulties because of employment procedures and visa policies. To resolve this, stronger cooperation between businesses and the government is essential. By improving visa policies and establishing employment support programs, we must create an environment in which international students can enter Korean companies after graduation and contribute to society. Such institutional reforms are expected to facilitate employment for international students and, furthermore, contribute to revitalizing local economies.

A new immigration policy is needed. Since it can have a major impact on the survival of the nation, public consensus and systematic preparation regarding a new immigration policy are essential. We must maintain a balance between attracting talent and social integration, and promote social stability by establishing stronger immigration programs through changes in technology and education systems. I hope immigration policy will increase social dynamism and become a foundational cornerstone for Korea’s sustainable development.

Jerahyang

Intern Researcher, Center for Free Enterprise (CFE)

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Original title: [칼럼] 새로운 이민정책에 대한 공공의 합의와 체계적인 준비 필수

Author: Je-ra-hyang

Date: 2025-04-23

Source: https://www.cfe.org/bbs/bbsDetail.php?cid=free_opinion&idx=27550