To address the labour shortages, the South Korean government intends to expand the limit for non-professional E-9 visas.
On Wednesday, the Employment and Labor Ministry revealed that it would increase the number of visas by 110,000 this year, or 41,000 more than in 2022.
The government is preparing to place the majority of E-9 visa holders in jobs in the first half of the year by allowing at least 10,000 migrant workers per month. The easing would be for foreign non-skilled employees, primarily in the manufacturing sector.
Details indicate that up until the end of the year, small enterprises with 50 or fewer employees will be allowed to employ 20% more foreign workers than the maximum.
