Working holiday proves abusive

By Kim Hyo-jin

Most young Koreans participating in working holiday programs face a wide range of unfair labor practices and racial discrimination, according to the minor opposition Justice Party.

Six out of 10 working holiday visa holders experienced exploitation by employers, and four out of 10 suffered racial discrimination.

Alleged unfair practices include violation of the minimum wage rule, delayed payments, physical and verbal abuse, and sexual harassment, the party said in a report.

The party called on the government to monitor the situation and take measures swiftly, saying the victims complained of difficulty in seeking help through diplomatic channels.

“Safety and labor rights of students working overseas are out of the authorities’ protection,” Justice Party floor leader Rep. Sim Sang-jeung said during a press conference at the Assembly, Monday.

“Among the victims, there was not a single person who sought help from the embassy or consulate to solve the problem,” she added, citing that distrust toward the government is prevalent among the visa holders.

The Justice Party conducted a 20-day survey of labor conditions related to working holiday programs from May 8 to 28, and publicized its report Monday. Of 100 respondents who experienced working holiday programs, 58 percent said they experienced unfair labor treatment.

About 65 percent reported violation of minimum wage rule, followed by delayed payments (39.7 percent); violation of contracts (29.3 percent); unfair dismissal (15.5 percent); physical and verbal abuse (6.9 percent); and sexual harassment (1.7 percent).

Of the four nations involved ― Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan ― Australia ranked tops in the percentage of unfair treatment of Korean workers, with 72.1 percent. Of all cases in Australia, 70.5 percent of illegal practices were found in businesses run by Koreans.

On average, more than 40,000 Koreans go overseas on working holiday visas, according to the government’s data.

The foreign ministry does not have any specific data on Korean participants in working holiday programs, Rep. Sim said.

“The government should start monitoring the situation and set up a relief channel, rather than focusing on signing working holiday visa agreements with a growing number of nations,” she said.