Yeongju City to Promote 'Region-Specific Visa Program' Supporting Foreign Resident Settlement

Eased Visa Requirements and Expanded Employment Opportunities
Attracting Foreign Talent to the Region

Yeongju City (Mayor Park Namseo) announced on the 7th that it will implement the "2025 Regional Specialized Visa Program Operation Plan" to respond to the risk of local extinction and promote the settlement of foreign talent in the region.

The regional specialized visa program is a system that supports the settlement of foreigners and overseas Koreans with certain qualifications by easing visa issuance requirements on the condition that they reside and work in areas with declining populations. Through this, it is expected to not only secure a stable workforce within the region but also contribute to solving the population decline issue.

This regional specialized visa program will be implemented for two years until 2026, and the main improvements include: △ the establishment of the Regional Specialized Skilled Worker Visa (E-7-4R), △ revised requirements for the Regional Specialized Outstanding Talent Visa (F-2-R), and △ expansion of eligible regions and improvement of the quota system.

Foreigners with Non-professional Employment (E-9) or Seafarer Employment (E-10) status who have resided in Korea for more than two years and meet the existing point-based requirements for skilled workers (E-7-4) can now convert to the newly established Regional Specialized Skilled Worker Visa (E-7-4R) this year.

The main changes to the Regional Specialized Outstanding Talent Visa (F-2-R) are that the Korean language proficiency requirement has been raised from Level 3 of the Social Integration Program (or Level 3 of the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK)) to Level 4 or higher, and that employment is now permitted freely at any company in population-declining areas where there is a shortage of workers.

Additionally, the number of foreign employees that regional companies can hire has been improved to allow up to 50 people, within 50% of the number of domestic employees enrolled in employment insurance, depending on company size.

Foreigners and companies wishing to participate in the program can register for job-seeking or recruitment on the K-Dream Foreign Support Center website for employment matching. For more details, inquiries can be made to the Local Era Policy Office of Yeongju City Hall or the Yeongju City Family Center.

Hong Seongho, Director of the Local Era Policy Office, said, "Through the promotion of this regional specialized visa program, we will do our best to revitalize the local economy and create an opportunity to attract more residents."