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Gov't to invite foreign workers for power line maintenance jobs
The government has launched a plan to hire power line electricians from overseas to replenish the shortage of local workforce in the field. gettyimagesbank
By Ko Dong-hwan
The government has announced plans to invite foreign workers to participate in the country’s power line maintenance projects, a sector facing a significant workforce shortage due to challenging and hazardous working conditions, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Monday.
The ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, announced a plan to add “power line electrician” to the list of professions eligible for the E-7 visa for skilled foreign workers. Before this addition, the number of qualified professions was 89.
Under the new employment plan, the ministries aim to hire up to 300 foreign electricians in the first year. They will be responsible for tasks related to power line installation, operation and maintenance. The initial employment contracts for these workers will be valid for two years.
The Korea Electric Power Corp., the state utility, along with other local firms in the industry, has partnered with the ministries to develop this employment strategy.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy emphasized that power line maintenance is critical due to the soaring electricity demand from the country’s semiconductor clusters and electric vehicle infrastructure.
As nuclear power and renewable energy sources become increasingly central to the country’s energy supply, maintaining the power grid has become even more essential.
However, the ministry noted that it has been challenging to secure the necessary workforce due to the job’s risky nature, which involves working with high-voltage power lines at significant heights.
In addition to recruiting foreign electricians, the ministries plan to expand training opportunities for Korean workers to bolster the domestic workforce in this field. The authorities will give priority in government bidding projects to local power line maintenance companies that have a track record of training or employing Korean workers. Moreover, they intend to hire more young Koreans as safety monitoring agents on power line maintenance sites to further support the industry.
Justice Minister Park Sung-jae said his ministry would support the maintenance and expansion of the domestic power line network by implementing a balanced visa system for foreign workers and prioritizing skilled foreign workers for deployment in these critical areas.
“This recent enhancement of the country’s visa regulations is expected to address the chronic workforce shortage in the power infrastructure sector,” Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun said. “It will contribute to the safer delivery of carbon-free energy to the country’s high-tech industries, significantly boosting our global competitiveness.”