By Choi Jin-woo

Domestic aircraft manufacturers will be allowed to recruit up to 300 foreign workers per year.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Ministry of Justice on May 1 jointly announced a plan to create positions in aircraft component manufacturing by allowing foreign workers eligible for the E-7 (foreign national of special ability) visa to work in the sector.

After both ministries collaborated with the Korea Aerospace Industries Association and other relevant organizations and collected opinions from the industry, they came up with a trial plan to invite up to 300 foreign workers eligible for the E-7 annually for a two-year period.

Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic aircraft manufacturing has enjoyed a boom thanks to restoration of cross-border movement and export rebound, but companies in the sector have experienced disruptions in production due to a labor shortage.

Over the trial period, the two ministries will jointly check the selection and management of foreign staff, as well as steps to prevent illegal stays.

Minister of Justice Park Sung Jae said, "Going forward, we will permit the hiring of outstanding foreign staff by sectors reeling from severe hiring difficulty while reviewing measures to reinforce the support system to protect and stimulate national employment, thus promoting a balanced visa system through improvements to revitalize the economy."

"We expect this improvement of the visa system to significantly contribute to reinforcing the competitiveness of domestic aircraft manufacturing, including alleviating staffing problems in the aviation industry and raising production and contracts," Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Dukgeun said.

"We will keep actively supporting projects for development of talented human resources by cooperating with related ministries."

paramt@korea.kr