Examining the destination effects on immigrant integration and wellbeing: A comparison on Vietnamese marriage migrants(VMMs) in Taiwan and South Korea

Literature on international migration tends to focus on the impact of immigration to the host societies or the countries of origin. Rarely have studies focused on the migration process and contrast the effects of different destinations, because of the difficulty obtaining comparable data and controlling the effects of origin. This study uses mixed-methods to contrast the experiences of VMMs who migrated to Taiwan and Korea for similar reasons and share similar sociodemographic backgrounds. Fifty-four interviews, 4 focus groups, and small-small survey (N=403) were collected during 10-month field research in Taiwan and Korea in both rural and urban settings. Wellbeing measures include quality of life, stress, and discrimination. First, I demonstrate how globalization, regional economic development, and demographic shifts have generated feminized migration flows into East Asia. Further, I argue that 4 crucial factors determine VMMs’ process of social exclusion/inclusion in Taiwan and Korea: ideologies of national belonging, ethnic hierarchies, labor market structure, and national integration policies. By untangling the effects of origin and destinations, this study suggests that policy adjustments can result in sustainable co-development for both the sending and receiving societies and improve immigrant integration and wellbeing.