E-9 visa rule changes proposed more than doubling period of stay

Economy

Published: 29 Dec. 2022, 15:06 Updated: 29 Dec. 2022, 19:41

E-9 visa rule changes proposed more than doubling period of stay

Migrant workers arrive at Incheon International Airport in July 2022. The Korean government said it will make reforms to the E-9 visa allowing migrant workers to stay longer without having to leave the country. [YONHAP]

A major immigration reform has been proposed as Korea struggles with the lack of non-skilled workers.

Migrant workers, especially those employed in factories and on farms, may soon be able to stay 10 years without leaving the country under new policy goals set out by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on Thursday.

These workers are currently limited to staying 4 years and 10 months under the terms of the E-9 non-professional work visa, though they can reapply for another 4 years and 10 months if they leave the country and file an application in their home countries.

Renewal is not guaranteed.

Under the reform plan, more types of work will be covered by the E-9 visa, including cargo handling, waste disposal and fresh produce and processed food wholesaling.

The E-9 visa is available to applicants from 16 countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines.

To qualify for the new visa terms, the foreign national will have to meet several requirements.

If they are in manufacturing, they will have to have worked for their first employer for 24 months. In non-manufacturing positions, the minimum is 18 to 24 months, depending on whether they have job training or Korean proficiency and whether they have attended a social integration program.

The changes are being proposed due to a shortage of labor that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Farms and companies were short 642,000 workers in the first half, according to a government survey.

The government earlier announced that it will increase the quota for E-9 visas from 69,000 this year to 110,000 next year.

Companies say that the relative short duration of the visa has led to a loss of migrant workers.

Some workers just refuse to leave and become illegal.

Last year, Korea had 855,000 migrant workers, 36.3 percent on E-9 or H-2 visas. H-2 visas are given to ethnic Koreans from countries from China and former Soviet Union countries.

“Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the work permit for non-professionals,” said Park Jong-pil, head of the ministry’s planning and coordination office.

“Compared to the industrial trainee system, there have been meaningful achievements, including transparency and easing the difficulties that SMEs faced.”

“However, due to the rapid changes in industries as well as demographics, there have been growing demands to reform the system as well as easing regulations to meet the actual labor supply situation,” Park said.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]