80% of Companies Want to Hire International Students for Sales and R&D Positions

KOTRA Surveys Companies and International Students
at Foreign Student Recruitment Fair
"Shift in Companies' Attitude Toward Recognizing Highly Skilled Talent"

Recently, it has been found that Korean companies are increasingly interested in hiring international students for sales and research and development (R&D) positions.

Many job seekers and international students are entering the '2025 Global Talent Fair' held on May 19 at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. 2025.5.19 Photo by Jo Yongjun

KOTRA announced on July 1 that it conducted a survey of participating companies and international students at the foreign student recruitment hall during the '2025 Global Talent Fair' held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, on June 19-20.

According to the survey, 49% of the responding companies said they wanted to hire international students for sales positions, making it the most preferred role. The next most preferred position was R&D, at 31%. KOTRA interpreted these results as indicating a shift in companies' attitudes, viewing foreigners not as simple laborers but as highly skilled professionals.

In addition, companies reported that they mainly hire international students to 'develop overseas markets' (42%) and to 'diversify internal human resources' (21%). Among the international students, many expressed their intention to join Korean companies to 'gain work experience in Korea' (42%) and to 'settle in Korea' (29%).

Among the international student respondents, 59% held a master's or doctoral degree, and 26% majored in science and engineering. KOTRA explained that the academic background and majors of the students who participated in the fair were relatively high. According to the Korea Educational Development Institute, as of 2024, there were 208,962 international students in Korea, of whom only 15% (31,264) majored in science and engineering. This suggests that the proportion of science and engineering students participating in the fair was significantly higher than average.

KOTRA also evaluated that the recruitment fair served as a channel for companies to discover talented foreign professionals and as a practical opportunity for international students to seek quality jobs.

Kang Sangyeop, Vice President and Head of the SME and Mid-sized Enterprise Division at KOTRA, said, "A significant number of international students hope to find employment at Korean companies, and there is especially high demand for R&D and office positions. We will continue to expand recruitment events tailored to company needs and contribute to enhancing the global competitiveness of Korean companies."