New visa aiming to address labor shortage faces fierce backlash

Construction workers gather for a rally in Gwangju, calling for an end to what they believe is the illegal hiring of foreign workers, in this April 13, 2023, file photo. Newsis

A visa system introduced this month to address labor shortages in regions outside of Seoul is facing strong backlash, with concerns that the influx of migrant workers could threaten jobs for Korean citizens.

A petition calling for the abolition of the E-7-4R visa garnered more than 72,700 signatures as of Thursday after being posted on the National Assembly’s petition site on March 20. The request is currently under parliamentary review, as required for all petitions that collect 50,000 signatures or more.

Also known as the region-specific skilled worker visa, E-7-4R is designed for foreign nationals who have been working in government-designated regions where the issue of falling populations is particularly serious, according to the Ministry of Justice.

If E-9 and E-10 visa holders stay in one of the designated areas for at least two years and meet certain skill requirements, they will become eligible to change their visas to E-7-4R, which would allow for a longer stay, the possibility of inviting family members and potentially an easier path to permanent residency.

The petitioner, surnamed Nam, urged ministry officials to reconsider the policy, saying it could worsen the job situation for many struggling citizens, especially young ones.

“Improving the treatment of Korean citizens and creating stable jobs for them should be a priority before bringing in more foreign labor,” he said. “The E74R visa would greatly expand the influx of foreign workers into the country. This is likely to result in job losses for many already struggling Korean workers, particularly in small and medium-sized businesses and in the manufacturing and service industries, where increased competition could lead to job losses and lower wages.”

According to Statistics Korea, the number of Koreans neither working nor looking for a job exceeded 500,000 for the first time in February. Nam said policymakers behind efforts like the new visa scheme should bear the blame.

“Currently, many young people are discouraged from entering the labor force due to low wages and poor working conditions. Increasing the influx of foreign workers without solving these problems is tantamount to overlooking the opportunity for the Korean workforce,” he said.

Nam also said the influx of more migrant workers would increase the financial strain on the country’s welfare system and heighten social tensions between them and Korean citizens.

"The petitioner’s argument is not entirely without merit," said Kim Joon-sik, honorary chairman of Asian Friends, a Seoul-based immigrant advocacy group.

“He is correct to point out that there are some industrial sectors where Korean citizens and foreign workers compete. Construction is one of those areas,” Kim told The Korea Times. “However, in many other sectors, such as farming, fishing and certain types of manufacturing, it is difficult to find enough citizens willing to work. So, he’s only partially right.”

Nevertheless, the large number of signatures collected for the petition shows rising worries among citizens who think they may have to compete with noncitizens for jobs in the future, Kim said.

He added that for the stable development of the nation’s immigration policy, policymakers need to take such concerns seriously and take necessary action to address them.