Government to Extend Foreign Seasonal Workers' Stay from 5 to 8 Months

The maximum stay period for foreign seasonal workers filling the labor shortage in rural areas will be extended from 5 months to 8 months.

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock Jeong Hwang-geun are announcing the "Improvement Plan for the Foreign Seasonal Worker System" on the 30th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 30th, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs jointly announced the "Improvement Plan for the Foreign Seasonal Worker System" at the Government Seoul Office, centered on this content.

The seasonal worker system is a program that allows the employment of foreigners for up to 5 months to respond to the seasonal and short-term labor demand in agriculture and fisheries. It has been in effect since 2015. While this system has been evaluated as promoting the legal employment of foreigners and helping to resolve labor shortages in rural areas, there have been voices from the field and local governments expressing regret over the short stay period.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Justice decided, following the recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, to extend the stay period by up to 3 months once, allowing employment for a maximum of 8 months.

The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs also agreed to strengthen measures to prevent the departure of seasonal workers and support their adaptation in response to the expanded workforce.

The Ministry of Justice stated, "We will build an information system for efficient management through information sharing and utilization, and promote policy support to improve the skill level of seasonal workers in the agriculture and fisheries sectors." The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, "To ensure smooth labor supply and demand, we will expand the 'Public-type Seasonal Worker Project' and support improvements in living conditions so that seasonal workers can stay legally and stably."

Additionally, the Ministry of Justice announced that, in addition to the 26,788 seasonal workers allocated to 124 local governments in the first half of last year, an additional 12,869 workers were allocated to 107 local governments on the 24th.