Development of a theoretical model for the mechanism of the stratification of immigrants in Japan

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18KK0357
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (A))
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo (2020-2022); Tohoku University (2018-2019)
• Principal Investigator: Nagayoshi Kikuko 東京大学, 社会科学研究所, 准教授 (50609782)
• Project Period (FY): 2019 – 2022
• Keywords: 外国人 / 階層的地位

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical model of the mechanism by which migrants are stratified according to their visa status and nationality. Based on findings from detailed analysis of social surveys and government statistics and survey experiments, we examined the mechanism by which migrants are stratified according to nationality and visa status. The results suggest that the stratification of migrants in Japan is largely determined by industry, firm, and employment status at the time of migration, and is influenced more by immigration policies and firms' human resource management strategies, and migration pathways shaped by the migration industry than by immigrants' human capital or discrimination by employers. The results of this study suggest that institutionalized stratification of migrants has occurred in Japan.

Free Research Field

社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

移住者の階層的地位に関する研究では、移住者自身の人的資本や社会関係資本、雇用主による差別に焦点を合わせた経済学的モデルが主流となっている。こうしたモデルの限界を示し、移住時点での階層的地位の重要性を指摘するとともに、そこに対するマクロレベル（送り出し国、受入国）、メゾレベル（企業や移住産業）の機能から、「制度化された階層化」という視点を提供した点は学術的意義がある。また、日本における移住労働者の階層的地位の状況、特に移住後の階層的地位達成の制約や技能実習生の賃金の水準の低さ、雇用主による採用時の差別の可能性に関する知見を提供した点は、社会的意義がある。