Ministry of Justice headquarters at Government Complex-Gwacheon in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do Province (Ministry of Justice)

By Koh Hyunjeong

To attract outstanding talent from abroad in cutting-edge industries, the Ministry of Justice has made such professionals eligible for the Top-Tier Visa and launched a new training system for specialized technical workers.

Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho on March 3 announced this at a news briefing for a 2030 future strategy for immigration policy at Government Complex-Gwacheon in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do Province.

The ministry expanded the eligibility of the Top-Tier Visa, which seeks to comprehensively support the settlement of excellent talent in Korea, to professors and researchers in science and technology, adding them to "corporate personnel" in eight cutting-edge industries including semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

The new E-7-M visa for a "development-type professional skilled workers" will target foreign graduates of domestic technical colleges in manufacturing fields. The goal is to use international students who were educated in the country and have adapted to Korean society.

The visa system will also undergo reform to tackle the labor shortage in small business and agriculture and fishing. For this, a special exception for stimulating small businesses in the provinces will allow such entrepreneurs in areas with declining populations to hire foreign staff.

A new visa for skilled workers in agriculture and fisheries will seek to encourage long-term employment in both industries.

The 39 types of employment visas in 10 categories will be simplified into three levels -- high, medium or low skilled. The plan is to systematically integrate and manage non-professional employment and general visas centered on those for professional employment.

A new advisory committee on foreign labor wages under the minister will be launched, and minimum wage requirements will be set by industry type and foreign worker.

Citing the country's low birth rate and aging population, Minister Jung said, "We will accelerate initiatives so that immigration policy contributes to the national economy."

hjkoh@korea.kr