By Kim Se-jeong
Out of 629,671 foreigners with working visas as of November 2015, the majority of them were unskilled workers and only 7.8 percent were career professionals, a report showed, Monday.
According to the report by Hyundai Research Institute, commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, only 49,001 held professional working visas ― ranging from E-1 to E-7.
Professional categories include professors, language instructors, researchers, technicians, medical experts, artists and those specially permitted by the ministry.
Of the professionals, 16,386, or 33.4 percent, held E-2 visas given to language instructors, a large ratio compared to professors at 5.4 percent and researchers, 6.4 percent.
The institute's earlier survey of 115 foreign professionals here showed major obstacles to life in Korea included difficulties in balancing work with family life, the language barrier and unsatisfactory educational opportunities for their children.
Out of 629,671 foreigners with working visas as of November 2015, the majority of them were unskilled workers and only 7.8 percent were career professionals, a report showed, Monday.
According to the report by Hyundai Research Institute, commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, only 49,001 held professional working visas ― ranging from E-1 to E-7.
Professional categories include professors, language instructors, researchers, technicians, medical experts, artists and those specially permitted by the ministry.
Of the professionals, 16,386, or 33.4 percent, held E-2 visas given to language instructors, a large ratio compared to professors at 5.4 percent and researchers, 6.4 percent.
"Attracting skilled workers who will settle down in Korea has been the government's goal amid the low birth rate and shrinking population, but the report shows this plan is not working as anticipated," a researcher of the institute said.
The institute's earlier survey of 115 foreign professionals here showed major obstacles to life in Korea included difficulties in balancing work with family life, the language barrier and unsatisfactory educational opportunities for their children.
