Gyeonggi Province Accelerates Discussions on Attracting Outstanding Foreign Talent and Establishing an Immigration Agency
78.8% of Foreign Residents Satisfied with Life in Gyeonggi... 74.6% of Companies Say "Immigration Agency Needed"
Gyeonggi Province held the "Gyeonggi Province Foreign Outstanding Talent and Immigration Agency Attraction Conference" at the Suwon Convention Center on November 3, aiming to establish a collaborative foundation that will help foreign talent settle stably, address labor shortages for companies, and revitalize the local economy.
Gyeonggi Province is holding the "Gyeonggi Province Foreign Outstanding Talent and Immigration Agency Attraction Conference" at Suwon Convention Center on the 3rd. Provided by Gyeonggi Province
As of August this year, approximately 730,000 long-term foreign residents live in Gyeonggi Province, accounting for 34% of the nationwide total of 2.12 million. The province organized the conference to gather opinions and demands from foreign workers and to use this feedback as a foundation for establishing an immigration agency within Gyeonggi Province.
The event was attended by Kim Daesoon, the Second Vice Governor of Gyeonggi Province, as well as the President of the Gyeonggi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association, the President of the Gyeonggi Employers Federation, the President of the Gyeonggi Business and Entrepreneurs Association, the Vice President of the Gyeonggi Export Companies Association, and about 90 other participants including business leaders, university representatives, international students, local government officials, and staff from foreigner support centers.
The main program included: ▲ a presentation on Gyeonggi Province’s outstanding talent attraction policies ▲ sharing the results of a survey on global talent attraction and economic activities ▲ a lecture by a naturalized foreign resident ▲ a talk by a foreigner policy expert ▲ and a panel discussion between business leaders and international students.
The province supported foreign nationals in applying for the E-7 (Special Activity) visa by providing recommendation letters signed by the Governor of Gyeonggi Province. Through the Gyeonggi Province-wide visa pilot project and the introduction and improvement of private visa systems tailored to the visa needs of the economic and industrial sectors, the province is implementing strategies to attract foreign talent.
By announcing these outstanding talent attraction policies, the province stated its intention to foster and attract global talent through future collaboration among businesses, universities, and local governments.
Later, Ilya Belyakov, a naturalized foreigner and Russian-born broadcaster, delivered a lecture on the theme "The Power of Global Talent." Jang Jooyoung, Director of Policy Research at the Korea Immigration Policy Institute, emphasized the importance of creating a living environment attractive to both immigrants and local residents, as well as introducing talent development and training programs, to attract outstanding talent.
According to the survey results released at the event, 66.2% of 500 foreign residents in Gyeonggi Province responded that the province’s immigration policies help them settle, and 78.8% said they were satisfied with their lives. Reasons for satisfaction included convenience of living (31.0%), job opportunities (19.3%), and wage levels (16.2%).
In a survey of 500 local companies, 74.6% responded that establishing an immigration agency is necessary, and 67.4% of companies said they were aware of Gyeonggi Province’s wide-area visa program.
An immigration agency is an organization that integrates and coordinates visa, employment, settlement support, and social integration policies for foreigners and immigrants. It consolidates functions that are currently distributed across various ministries such as the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Employment and Labor, and Ministry of the Interior and Safety, thereby supporting the inflow and stable settlement of foreign talent.
Previously, in April last year, Gyeonggi Province became the first metropolitan local government to hold a policy forum on establishing an immigration agency. In September, the province also held meetings with cities and counties hoping to host the agency (Ansan, Gimpo, Hwaseong, Gwangmyeong, Goyang, Dongducheon), thereby laying the groundwork for its establishment.
Kim Daesoon, Second Vice Governor, stated, "When foreign talent, companies, and universities collaborate, Gyeonggi Province’s industrial competitiveness will be further strengthened. An immigration agency capable of operating integrated migration policies must be established in Gyeonggi Province, where the largest number of foreigners reside and which offers excellent accessibility and sociocultural inclusiveness, in order to succeed."
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