Foreign Employment Allowed in Korean Restaurants and Hotel Industry

This Year’s Second Employment Permit Application Receives 42,000 Submissions

On the 6th, Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Employment and Labor, delivered a greeting at the 13th plenary session of the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC) under the President, held in the main conference room of the ESLC in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

From this month, foreign workers can also apply for employment permits in Korean restaurants, hotels, and condos.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 2nd that from the 22nd of this month to the 3rd of next month, it will accept applications for the second round of new employment permits in 2024 for foreign workers under the Employment Permit System (E-9) through local employment and labor offices nationwide.

The issuance scale for this round is 42,080 people. By industry, it includes 25,906 in manufacturing, 1,824 in shipbuilding, 4,955 in agriculture and livestock, 2,849 in fisheries, 2,056 in construction, and 4,490 in services. For excess demand by industry, 20,000 flexible allocation slots will be utilized.

In particular, from this round, applications for employment permits will also be accepted for Korean restaurants, hotels, and condo businesses. A quota of 4,490 has been allocated for the service industry to lower the employment barriers for foreign workers in restaurants (Korean cuisine) and hotel/condo businesses, which have had difficulties recruiting domestic workers. These industries have long complained about labor shortages.

For restaurants, foreign workers on non-professional employment visas (E-9) can be employed as kitchen assistants only at Korean restaurants in the top 100 major regions with a certain business duration (5 to 7 years depending on the number of domestic employees). For hotels and condos, E-9 foreign worker employment is limited to four regions: Seoul, Busan, Gangwon, and Jeju, where up to 25 workers per business can be employed as building cleaners and kitchen assistants depending on the number of domestic employees.

Employers wishing to hire foreign workers can apply for employment permits by visiting the local employment and labor office or through the website after making seven days of efforts to recruit domestic workers.

The results of this round's employment permit applications will be announced on the 21st of next month. Issuance will take place from the 22nd to the 28th of next month for manufacturing and shipbuilding, and from the 29th to June 4th for agriculture and livestock, fisheries, construction, and services.