KIIP offers foreigners access to culture, language education, naturalization

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KIIP offers foreigners access to culture, language education, naturalization

Published: 25 May. 2023, 16:26

Textbooks used for the Korean Immigration and Integration Program classes [LHAKPA DOLMA LAMA]

When foreigners come to Korea, overcoming language and cultural barriers is one of the most significant challenges they face. Fortunately, programs like the Korean Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP) exist to assist them in navigating these challenges.

KIIP is a free program developed by the Ministry of Justice that provides comprehensive support for foreigners in Korea, including education, employment and social life.

It covers topics from general social life, like information about the family structure in Korea, transportation, facilities and housing options, to comparatively complex issues, such as the rights and duties of the residents, how election systems work and the roles of government bodies. Overview of Korea's health insurance system, workers' rights and the country's economy are also covered.

When taking classes for the level 5 KIIP program — the highest level — participants can join mentor programs. Sessions by professionals who educate the participants about topics such as road safety and legal rights are also offered.

According to the Justice Ministry, the number of participants in the program has seen a 4,200 percent increase from 1,331 in 2009 to 56,535 in 2019. However, mainly accounting for the effects of two years long Covid-19, the number of participants decreased by 3.2 percent in 2022 compared to 2019, with 42,163 individuals participating in the program.

Breaking down the total 106,532 participants participating in the program between 2009 and 2018, 50.8 percent had marriage migrant visas. Another 13.3 percent were those with non-professional worker visas, while those with the international student visa, the D-2, made up only 4.8 percent.

However, there have been more international students taking the classes, with the figure rising 17.3 percent on year to 2,780 in 2018.

Individuals who are on a long-term visa in Korea have a greater interest in participating in the program. The most common types of visas among the participants are F-2-7, or the visa for spouses of Korean citizens, F-5, the visa for permanent residents, and the E-7 for skilled workers.

Exemption from written tests and interviews required for citizenship acquisition, reduced waiting time for citizenship assessment and exemption from proof of Korean language proficiency when updating visa status are significant benefits of completing the program.

"I joined the KIIP program to apply for an E-7 visa," said Niraj, a Nepalese national who first came to Korea about a decade ago with an E-9 visa, a visa type created by the Korean government to grant the legal status of 'worker' to low-skilled workers. "Completing this program will give me points while changing the visa."

"Besides the points, the class is informative too. So, I feel like it's worth it to come to classes instead of staying home on my days off."

Those preparing for the naturalization test are also a big portion of KIIP students.

"I am preparing for the naturalization test, and I have to take level 5 classes again to be eligible for the test," a Chinese national in her sixties said.

She had previously taken the KIIP level 5 exam but didn't pass, so she is repeating the classes to receive the level 5 completion certificate by getting at least forty points on her second attempt.

The break down of how many hours of KIIP classes students need to finish to advance to the next level [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The program consists of six levels, from zero to five. The participants are allotted 15 hours of training for level 0, while levels 1 and above are allotted 100 hours of classes.

The participant must take an exam to move on to the next level and obtain at least 60 out of the total 100 points to pass. Participants must complete 70 hours of the level 5 class to be able to apply for permanent residency and 100 hours to be eligible for the naturalization test.

Although KIIP might seem like a program only for those who want to naturalize, there are more benefits than that.

The KIIP classes can be especially helpful in navigating Korean culture, systems and procedures in addition to improving their Korean language.

Having a KIIP completion certificate also demonstrates that an individual understands Korean culture and society, and it is something international students can add to their resume to prove their Korean fluency or an understanding of how to deal with Korean clients.

The KIIP program also gives extra points while upgrading visa status or applying for permanent residency in Korea. However, the participation ratio of student visa holders in the KIIP program is comparatively low compared to other visa types.

"The number of international students [D-2 visa holders] in my class has increased compared to my previous classes, but they still comprise a small ratio in the whole class," shared a KIIP class instructor based in Incheon.

Long class hours and a series of level tests, on top of assignments, can be too much work for international students which does justify the low participation rate of the students in the program.

"I instantly gave up when I heard about the long hours of classes and series of exams that I needed to do to complete the program," a current KIIP level 5 student said. "It does have a lot of benefits, but the duration is too long, so I didn't feel like signing up for it."

"I didn't have the effort and perseverance to go through hours of classes and five level exams. But I continued to prepare for the TOPIK exam at my own pace and directly joined level 5 classes of the program after I passed TOPIK level 4."

Nonetheless, the students interested in joining the program can start from level 0 for those with no background in the Korean language.

Skipping levels is also possible for people with basic knowledge of the Korean language by taking the level tests or by submitting TOPIK certificates.

The KIIP classes are mostly held on weekends to accommodate the busy schedules of participants with full-time jobs or other commitments during the weekdays.

Students who cannot sign up for the KIIP classes due to high competition or unfavorable schedules can continue to study the Korean language by signing up for the free Korean language classes offered by other government organizations.

The Seoul Global Center in Jung District, central Seoul, offers classes for foreigners with various Korean proficiency levels and a business Korean class that teaches dialogues that will prepare people for daily work conversations, meetings and conference calls.

Various Global Village Centers located in parts of Seoul, Incheon and other major cities in Korea are another place that offers free Korean classes. This helps to keep improving Korean language skills and can also become a pathway to directly enter higher levels of KIIP classes instead of starting from level 0.

Learn more about Korean university life on K-campus.

BY STUDENT REPORTER LHAKPA DOLMA LAMA [kjd.kcampus@joongang.co.kr]