SEOUL: (Bernama-Yonhap) -- South Korea has decided to accept 207,000 non-professional foreign workers into the country next year under a programme aimed at addressing labour shortages in sectors such as agriculture and fisheries, Yonhap News Agency reported on Friday (Dec 20), citing officials.
Under the decision reached by a government committee, the number of workers under the E-9 employment permit visa for next year has been set at 130,000, a decrease of 35,000 compared with this year, according to the Office for Government Policy Coordination.
The number of workers under the E-8 seasonal work visa was increased by 7,000 to 75,000, taking into account population declines in rural and fishing communities.
For the E-10 seafarer employment visa, there is no fixed total limit, as it operates under a total quota system. Officials expect the number to be around 2,100 next year.
The government plans to finalise the visa-specific quotas and establish an operational plan for next year after consulting with relevant agencies. - Bernama-Yonhap
