Next Year, Record High 165,000 Foreign Workers to Be Introduced...New Approvals Also for Restaurants

Government Finalizes 2024 Foreign Workforce Introduction and Management Plan

Next year, the number of foreign workers employed under the Employment Permit System with the 'Non-professional Employment Visa (E-9)' to work in domestic industrial sites has been set at a record high of 165,000. The government has also allowed foreign workers to work in restaurants, which have been experiencing a shortage of domestic workers, starting next year.

On the 27th, the government held the Foreign Workforce Policy Committee and finalized the '2024 Foreign Workforce Introduction and Operation Plan' regarding the scale of foreign workforce (E-9 visa holders) introduction under the Employment Permit System and the newly permitted industries.

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So far, the government has actively pursued regulatory improvements to facilitate the smooth utilization of foreign workers, such as expanding the scale of foreign workforce introduction (120,000 in 2023), early issuance of employment permits and expedited entry, and doubling the employment quota of foreign workers per workplace, in response to labor shortages in industrial sites.

However, structural factors such as declining birth rates and aging population continue to reduce the working-age population, leading to ongoing demand for foreign workers, especially in some service industries with a high proportion of vacant jobs.

Accordingly, considering the labor market supply and demand situation, the government has set the 2024 foreign workforce (E-9) introduction scale at 165,000, a 37.5% increase compared to 120,000 in 2023. The Ministry of Employment and Labor explained that the 2024 introduction scale was decided through collaboration with national research institutes to forecast shortages, as well as comprehensive analysis of various field demand surveys conducted with workplaces utilizing foreign workers (E-9), relevant ministries, and local governments.

Employment of foreign workers (E-9) will also be permitted in industries facing intensified labor shortages such as restaurants, forestry, and mining. For restaurants, a pilot program will be introduced first for kitchen assistant roles in Korean restaurants in 100 regions (98 basic regions, Sejong, and Jeju). For businesses with fewer than 5 employees, the business must have been operating for at least 7 years, and for those with 5 or more employees, at least 5 years. Foreign workers can be employed up to 1 person in businesses with fewer than 5 employees, and up to 2 persons in businesses with 5 or more employees.

In forestry, foreign worker (E-9) employment will be allowed for nationwide forest business corporations and forest seedling production corporations, and in mining, for metal and non-metal mining companies with an annual production volume of 150,000 tons or more.

Going forward, after designating sending countries, selecting personnel, and designating employment training institutions, foreign workers (E-9) can apply for employment permits starting from the second issuance round for restaurants (around April next year), and from the third issuance round for forestry and mining (around July next year).

An official from the Ministry of Employment and Labor said, "For restaurants, we will sufficiently gather opinions from stakeholders such as customers, the public, and workers in the industry, and consider further expansion through joint pilot project evaluations with relevant ministries," adding, "We will also strengthen stay management and support to facilitate the smooth settlement of foreign workers and resolve workforce operation difficulties at workplaces."

For the newly expanded industries, the government plans to provide specialized job training and industrial safety education tailored to each industry through industry associations or their own training institutions (such as the Forestry Training Institute and the Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation), and implement workforce management measures including setting permit criteria considering industry conditions and the characteristics of the Employment Permit System.

Bang Gi-seon, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said, "The expansion of foreign workforce (E-9) introduction scale next year is expected to greatly contribute to resolving vacant jobs that domestic workers avoid," and urged, "Please ensure thorough stay management including the swift introduction and stable settlement of foreign workers."

Director Bang also stated, "There are demands for additional foreign workforce permissions mainly in industries with severe labor shortages, and relevant ministries including the Ministry of Employment and Labor should devise measures to introduce foreign workers in a timely manner," adding, "If necessary, the Foreign Workforce Policy Committee will be convened again in December."