"International Students of Vocational High School as Local Employee"...Conduct a Meeting to Nurture Talents for Local Industry

– ACRC, discussed ways for improvement after listening opinions of immigration policy experts, representatives of local industries, international students, and officials from vocational high school at the Seoul Government Complex on July 11

(11, July. 2025, ACRC)

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan) held a meeting at the Seoul Government Complex to come up with a plan to nurture resources for local industry by best utilizing the capability of international students studyung in domestic vocational high schools.

The meeting was attended by ACRC officials including chairperson, immigration policy experts, representatives of local industries, international students and faculty from vocational high schools to check the current status of international students in vocational high schools and difficulties in issuing their work visas, and to discuss ways to utilize the capabilities of outstanding international students by hiring them as employees of regional industries.

As of 2025, the number of international students attending to a vocational high school in Korea* is 225 in total. They were recruited under the purpose of resolving shortages in domestic resources for industrial projects due to a decrease in the school-age population of the country, as well as international cooperation such as official development assistance (ODA) in education sector with emerging countries. They are currently attending schools under the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (35 students from 7 high schools), the Jeollanam-do Office of Education (77 students from 5 high schools), and the Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education (113 students from 8 high schools). In 2026, more than seven education offices, including Seoul, Busan, Gangwon-do, Chungchungnam-do, Jeollabuk-do, Jeollanam-do, and Gyeongsangbuk-do, are planning to recruit students, showing the number of international students in vocational high school is on an upward trend nationwide.

 * A student from overseas studying at a vocational high school in Korea, with a D-4 (General Trainee Visa), not a F Visas (a visa for foreigners living with or accompanying their family)

International students, although graduating from vocational high schools in Korea, cannot get a work visa (E type) under the current system. They must return to their home country or go to a domestic university to obtain a work visa.

This may not be a way to best utilize the skilled professionals who have learned advanced technology, Korean language and culture for three years as the government allocated budget for talented students from Southeast Asia and other countries for the domestic industry. Moreover, considering the concern about a limited resources due to low birth rates and the increasing number of vacant jobs in local industries, voices that it is necessary to cultivate international students of vocational high school as local industrial resource are increasing.

Through this meeting, the ACRC listened to the opinions and grievances of professionals and relevant stakeholders, and navigated solid ways to connect international students from vocational high schools with outstanding local industries. The commission plans to come up with detailed and practical measures of institutional improvement after discussing with related organizations.

The chairperson of ACRC said, "The need for the government to actively respond to the visible disappearance of local governments and the hollowing out of local industries is increasing. For talented international students who are nurtured by the government to become industrial professional of the region, the commission will improve the institution at the earliest possible moment."