Goseong County Expects to Ease Rural Labor Shortage Next Year by Introducing Foreign Workers

Goseong County in Gangwon Province (Governor Ham Myungjun) is now accepting applications for participation in the "2026 Foreign Seasonal Worker Program" to address labor shortages caused by the declining agricultural population and to help increase farmers' incomes.

Aerial view of Goseong County Office. Provided by Goseong County

This initiative aims to ease labor shortages during the busy farming season by introducing foreign seasonal workers (E-8 visa) and to support stable agricultural management. Applications will be accepted until September 26, and interested parties can apply at their local township or town administrative welfare centers.

Eligible applicants are farmers residing within the county who wish to employ foreign seasonal workers. Employers must be registered as the head of an agricultural management entity, as verified by the Agricultural Management Entity Registration Certificate.

Once the 2026 foreign workforce is introduced, workers will be permitted to stay for five to eight months between March and early December. Therefore, only farms capable of signing employment contracts for at least five months with workers are eligible. Each farm may employ up to nine workers, with the exact number determined based on the registered agricultural area.

The county provides guidance on essential requirements for employing foreign seasonal workers, including: ▲ providing adequate housing ▲ subscribing to industrial accident insurance or farmers' safety insurance ▲ paying at least the minimum wage ▲ guaranteeing working hours, rest periods, and holidays ▲ and preventing human rights violations.

In particular, employers must ensure that seasonal worker accommodations are equipped with heating and cooling systems, shower facilities, locks, cooking utensils, and fire extinguishers. The use of converted greenhouses, containers, or warehouses as accommodations is strictly prohibited.

Ham Myungjun, Governor of Goseong County, stated, "Goseong County signed an MOU with Laos in February this year, and since July, 23 Laotian workers have been employed as agricultural workers in the county. Satisfaction with the Laotian workers is currently high, so we expect the foreign seasonal worker program to greatly help resolve labor shortages during the busy farming season and support stable agricultural management for our farmers. We encourage interested farms to apply within the application period."

For details on required documents and further information regarding the application process, please contact the township or town administrative welfare centers or the Agricultural Policy Division at Goseong County Office.