By Yun Suh-young
Ethnic Koreans in China will find it difficult to get the “F4 overseas Korean visa” as the government will toughen rules, beginning next month.
Under the new rules, only those who have worked for over two years in the agriculture and livestock industry or in the manufacturing industry outside of a metropolitan area will be entitled to the F4 visa, starting Aug. 1, the Ministry of Justice said Friday.
“The F4 overseas Korean status allows them to get jobs more easily in all sectors. Those with the visa can stay as long as they like in the country and can find better job opportunities than other foreign immigrants making it more preferable to other visas,” said an official from the immigration bureau.
Under the existing regulations, the industries in which ethnic Koreans from China could work were not limited. However, the revised regulations will confine the workplaces to places outside of Seoul and other metropolitan cities.
Also, the Korean-Chinese were eligible to the overseas Korean status after one year under the existing policy. Under the revision it has been extended to two years. Ethnic Koreans of Chinese nationality must now work one more year in the designated sectors in order to receive the F4 overseas Korean status.
The sectors in which they could work to receive the status have also been more restricted. Those working in housekeeping,
caregiving and in manufacturing sectors inside the metropolitan city are exempt from the list of people who can receive the overseas Korean status. They can only receive a visiting visa for employment.
“Our decision to revise the regulations is a reflection of the public’s criticism that ethnic Koreans from China are eating away job opportunities of local citizens,” said the ministry official. “We’re undecided about whether or not to place a grace period on the Korean-Chinese who went back to their countries from coming back to work in Korea.”
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