Next year, 165,000 E-9 foreign workers will arrive... Can also work in restaurants

The number of non-professional employed (E-9) foreign workers coming to Korea in 2024 has been confirmed to be 165,000, the largest ever. The Korean government held the ‘40th Foreign Workforce Policy Committee’ at the Seoul Government Complex on November 27 and decided on these matters.

Looking at the main details, the scale of foreign worker introduction next year has been confirmed to be 165,000, which is 37.5% more than this year's 120,000.

By industry, there are 95,000 people in the manufacturing industry, 5,000 people in the shipbuilding industry, 16,000 people in the agricultural and livestock industry, 10,000 people in the fishing industry, 6,000 people in the construction industry, 13,000 people in the service industry, and 20,000 people in the flexible allocation.

Flexible allocation refers to additional manpower that can be utilized in industries that require more people than planned. In addition, the government has decided to allow the employment of foreign workers in three industries, including restaurants, forestry, and mining, starting next year.

E-9 foreign worker employment in restaurant

In the case of the restaurant industry, it has been confirmed that foreign workers will be introduced on a pilot basis for kitchen assistant jobs in Korean restaurants in 100 regions across the country.

However, foreigners can be hired only if ▲in the case of a business with less than 5 employees, they have at least 7 years of work experience, and ▲in the case of a business with 5 or more employees, they must have at least 5 years of work experience. Additionally, businesses with less than 5 employees can hire up to 1 person, and businesses with 5 or more employees can hire up to 2 people.

In particular, as the restaurant industry has a high rate of business closures, we plan to allow foreign workers only to businesses that meet a certain level of operating conditions, such as size and business experience, and make full-time employment (working more than 40 hours a week) the principle.

The restaurant industry is expected to be able to apply for foreign workers to the government from around April, when the second employment permit application is scheduled to be issued next year, and the forestry and mining industry is expected to be able to apply for foreign workers from around July, when the third application for issuance is scheduled.

The Korean government also plans to strengthen stay management and support to ensure smooth settlement of the increased number of foreign workers and to resolve difficulties in manpower management at workplaces.

Bang Ki-seon, Chairman of the Foreign Workforce Policy Committee, said, “We expect that the expansion of the scale of introduction of foreign workers next year will greatly contribute to eliminating vacant jobs that Koreans avoid.” “In Korea, there are demands to allow additional foreign workers, especially in industries where there is a serious shortage of hiring, and relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Employment and Labor, will seek ways to introduce foreign workers in a timely manner,” he said.

Mary Eve of Papaya Story