Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
E-9 foreign worker arrivals down 21% this year amid economic slowdown
Filipino workers arrive at Incheon International Airport, Aug. 6, 2024, to begin a pilot program allowing foreign household managers to work in Seoul. Joint Press Corps
By Kim Hyun-bin
The number of foreign nationals entering Korea under the E-9 work visa has dropped by more than 20 percent compared to the same period last year, government data showed, amid signs of a broader economic slowdown.
As of June 10, a total of 28,520 foreign workers had entered the country under the Employment Permit System (EPS), which grants E-9 visas to workers in selected non-professional industries, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on Sunday. The figure marks a 20.9 percent decrease from 36,048 during the same period in 2024.
The E-9 visa program issues a fixed number of work permits annually. So far, only 21.9 percent of this year’s overall quota of 130,000 have arrived, and 29.1 percent of the sector-specific quota of 98,000 have been filled.
The manufacturing sector, which traditionally absorbs the largest share of E-9 workers, saw the steepest decline. Only 21,443 foreign workers entered under the visa category, down 25.8 percent from 28,887 a year earlier.
Other industries also recorded notable declines: Fisheries dropped by 21.7 percent to 2,198 workers, and construction saw a 33.1 percent fall to 513.
Only agriculture and livestock, as well as the service sector, saw increases. The number of arrivals rose from 3,379 to 4,031 (up 19.3 percent) in agriculture and from 207 to 264 (up 27.5 percent) in services, but it is still not enough to offset the overall decline.
Following a sharp reduction during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of E-9 arrivals had rebounded to 88,012 in 2022 and 100,148 in 2023, but dropped again to 78,025 last year.
Officials say this year’s arrivals are also likely to fall well short of the annual quota.
“The economic downturn has had an impact on the demand for foreign labor,” a labor ministry official said. “The quota only sets the upper limit for foreign worker admissions and does not necessarily reflect actual arrivals.”