South Korea's foreign worker policy founders
Foreign workers in South Korea are concentrated in labor-intensive industries despite growing calls for a “comprehensive” immigration policy to encourage more skilled workers from abroad, according to a recent report.
The study by Hyundai Research Institute, commissioned by the Justice Ministry, suggested that the government fix its immigration system that is heavily focused on low-skilled workers and more effectively make use of foreign workers on a long-term basis in the wake of aging population and low fertility rate.
YonhapAs of end-November 2015, 92.2 percent of the 629,671 foreign workers entered Korea on low-skilled visas, according to government data, while 7.8 percent were hired in professional sectors, such as universities, research institutes, and arts and entertainment.
Thirty-four percent of those on professional visas teach conversational foreign languages, followed by 6.5 percent working in research fields and 5.4 percent teaching university students. Just 1.3 percent work in highly skilled occupations, such as lawyers and accountants.
According to a 2015 report by the think tank on 115 professional workers, the majority of them noted discrimination, lack of job opportunities for their partners, the language barrier, office culture differences and poor balance between work and family as major difficulties in living in Korea.
They called for more language training, administrative support, help with translation and interpretation to enable them to settle and work here more easily.
The report also showed that current policies on unskilled immigrant workers have been ineffective, with manufacturing, construction and hospitality sectors suffering a shortage of workers. The number of additional workers needed in the three sectors combined grew from 120,119 in 2006 to 135,688 in 2014, according to the report.
Currently, the foreign workers on unskilled visa schemes come from 15 countries mostly in South and Central Asia on the Employment Permit System or are ethnic Koreans with foreign nationality coming on the H-2 working visit visa. After the government reviews labor shortages in each industry, it sets quotas and invites a certain number of workers to allow them to work here for three years. It can be extended by one year and 10 months with their employers’ agreement.
According to a 2014 report by Korea Economic Institute, South Korea will need to receive 1.6 million immigrants by 2020 and 11.8 million by 2050 to offset the fall in the economically active population.
“The lack of low-skilled laborers at the country’s small and medium-sized manufacturers is chronically high, but the current Employment Permit System has not been effectively utilized because authorities restrict the yearly inflow of foreign workers and their distribution in each industry,” the report said.
“The policy on foreign workers should be more comprehensive so that it can maximize the use of foreign workers and reduce problems such as receiving untrained workers in large numbers and using them for a short term,” it said.
By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)
The study by Hyundai Research Institute, commissioned by the Justice Ministry, suggested that the government fix its immigration system that is heavily focused on low-skilled workers and more effectively make use of foreign workers on a long-term basis in the wake of aging population and low fertility rate.
Thirty-four percent of those on professional visas teach conversational foreign languages, followed by 6.5 percent working in research fields and 5.4 percent teaching university students. Just 1.3 percent work in highly skilled occupations, such as lawyers and accountants.
According to a 2015 report by the think tank on 115 professional workers, the majority of them noted discrimination, lack of job opportunities for their partners, the language barrier, office culture differences and poor balance between work and family as major difficulties in living in Korea.
They called for more language training, administrative support, help with translation and interpretation to enable them to settle and work here more easily.
The report also showed that current policies on unskilled immigrant workers have been ineffective, with manufacturing, construction and hospitality sectors suffering a shortage of workers. The number of additional workers needed in the three sectors combined grew from 120,119 in 2006 to 135,688 in 2014, according to the report.
Currently, the foreign workers on unskilled visa schemes come from 15 countries mostly in South and Central Asia on the Employment Permit System or are ethnic Koreans with foreign nationality coming on the H-2 working visit visa. After the government reviews labor shortages in each industry, it sets quotas and invites a certain number of workers to allow them to work here for three years. It can be extended by one year and 10 months with their employers’ agreement.
According to a 2014 report by Korea Economic Institute, South Korea will need to receive 1.6 million immigrants by 2020 and 11.8 million by 2050 to offset the fall in the economically active population.
“The lack of low-skilled laborers at the country’s small and medium-sized manufacturers is chronically high, but the current Employment Permit System has not been effectively utilized because authorities restrict the yearly inflow of foreign workers and their distribution in each industry,” the report said.
“The policy on foreign workers should be more comprehensive so that it can maximize the use of foreign workers and reduce problems such as receiving untrained workers in large numbers and using them for a short term,” it said.
By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)
(责任编辑:行业动态)
相关内容
- 2016's $400 GPU vs. 2019's $400 GPUs
- Kind Canadians remind America it's already great
- Geologists say North Korea's nuclear test site has collapsed
- Net neutrality protestors hit Verizon stores — including these two dudes in snowy Fairbanks, Alaska
- Upgrade Your Monitor, Not Your GPU
- Swifties for Kamala raises over $100,000 in donations for Harris campaign
- Apple's macOS High Sierra will launch on Sept. 25
- The Pope has way too much faith in the way we use social media
- Apple's macOS High Sierra will launch on Sept. 25
- 'Hyundai Way': Auto giant's W121tr plan aims to seize mobility market lead
- Real, Barca and Bilbao sue La Liga
- Park to attend G20, APEC, ASEAN summits
- The internet goes wild after Trump's 'If I win' pledge
推荐文章
-
Essential Apps to Install on your Windows PC or Mac
You just bought a new laptop, built a new desktop PC, or are simply clean installing on a new solid ...[详细] -
Aubameyang stripped of Arsenal captaincy
LONDON:Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists no player is bigger than the club after Pierre-Emerick A ...[详细] -
Little boy uses sign language to call for help while on Santa's lap
A little boy creeped out while sitting on Santa's lap used baby sign language to tell his parents he ...[详细] -
KOICA exhibition to recount Korea’s overseas aid history
The Korea International Cooperation Agency plans to chronicle the country’s rapid ascent from an aid ...[详细] -
Webb scientists haven't found a rocky world with air. But now they have a plan.
Perhaps surprisingly, the majority of stars in the galaxy are not sunclones but smaller orbs of gas ...[详细] -
Samsung promises foldable phones by 2018
Your next smartphone might fold in half.Samsung announced on Tuesday, just hours before the highly a ...[详细] -
Your next smartphone could cost more than your laptop
For about the last decade, if you walked into any phone store, you could reasonably expect to pay ab ...[详细] -
Read hilarious excerpts from books that understand the whole adulting thing
LONDON -- Last year, the Ladybird Books for Grown-Upshelped us to understand some of life's greatest ...[详细] -
How much will PCB's Champions Cup mentors be paid?
ListentoarticleThe Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed five distinguished mentors for the upc ...[详细] -
Young North Korean defectors struggle to adapt to South Korean schools
The number of North Korean defectors attending South Korea's elementary and secondary schools stood ...[详细]
热点阅读
随机内容
- 13 Astronomical Clocks Connecting Time And Space
- KOICA exhibition to recount Korea’s overseas aid history
- No chill Beyoncé shut down a probably chilled beer named after her
- Video surfaces of Roy Moore being interviewed by 12
- Webb scientists haven't found a rocky world with air. But now they have a plan.
- Watch Donald Trump throw a mini temper tantrum after the debate
- NPAD withdraws Assembly boycott