흔히 동질집단으로 여겨지는 여성결혼이민자는 상이한 특성을 지닌 다양한 집단의 집합체이다. 본 연구는 여성결혼이민자가 구직자로서 갖는 다양성을 파악하기 위하여 이들의 구직자 유형을 분석하고 그 특징을 도출하는 것을 목적으로 수행되었다. 이를 위해 본 연구에서는 충분한 구직경험 또는 노동 경험을 가진 여성결혼이민자 40명을 대상으로 일대일 심층면접을 통해 자료를 수집하였고, 항시비교법(constant comparative method)을 사용하여 수집된 자료를 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 여성결혼이민자의 학력ㆍ본국에서의 경제적 수준과 같은 개인배경, 여성결혼이민자 가정의 경제적 수준ㆍ결혼유형과 같은 결혼배경, 언어자원ㆍ본국에서의 경력과 같은 인적자원, 취업의지ㆍ희망하는 일ㆍ구직 이유와 같은 취업욕구 요인이 여성결혼이민자의 구직자 유형을 결정짓는 주요 기준이 됨을 알 수 있었다. 이러한 기준을 통합적으로 고려한 결과, 여성결혼이민자들은 1) 일추구형, 2) 본국가족부양형, 3) 경제자립형, 4) 위기생계형, 5) 국가간자영업형, 6) 다문화전문직형, 7) 경력활용형, 그리고 8) 취업유예형의 8가지 구직자 유형으로 구분할 수 있었다. 마지막으로 이러한 제반 연구 결과를 바탕으로 여성결혼이민자의 취업지원 정책 수립에 필요한 시사점을 제시하였다.This empirical research aims to elicit employment typology of woman immigrant spouses in Korea. It intends to provide the understanding of the diversities of woman immigrant spouses as job-seekers in the Korean labor market. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Forty woman immigrant spouses who have various work experiences were recruited and interviewed regarding their personal backgrounds, types of marriage, types of human resources, and the motives for seeking employment. Data were transcribed and analyzed to draw the major factors that influence their employment, which primarily serve as criteria categorizing the participants. Constant comparative method was used to analyze their employment-related histories, which enabled to reorganize, elaborate and finalize the typology that differentiate one from another.
The results demonstrate major factors that influence on categorizing woman immigrant spouses. The factors are: level of education, financial difficulties experienced in the homeland, economic situation of family, types of marriage, language proficiency, previous work experiences, level of will for employment, types of job they seek for and motives for employment. As a result, participants were classified into eight different types of job-seekers - the types of: 1) work-orientation 2) homeland family support 3) economic independence 4) urgent economic hardship 5) transnational entrepreneurship 6) multicultural service 7) utilization of previous careers and 8) postponed employment. By shedding light on the distinctive characteristics and patterns featured in this elicited typology, this research results imply that woman immigrant spouses cannot be categorized into one single group of job-seekers but multiple groups with diverse competencies, conditions and willpower for employment. Accordingly, different approaches for their employment support are needed. In this regard, several suggestions for policymakers in supporting employment of woman immigrant spouses were presented.