COVID-19 makes life tougher for immigrant workers

Migrant workers lay bricks at a construction site in Seoul in this undated photo. Korea Times file

By Kim Se-jeong

Korea is home to almost 2.5 million people who were born outside the country, with almost half coming from China and Vietnam, followed by the Philippines and Bangladesh.

However, the lives of those coming from developing countries are fragile here. They are usually manual workers with lower wages, and often came to Korea alone to send money back home to support their families. Even for those staying with family in Korea, the money they earn is far from enough to provide them with a decent living.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic which made their lives even more precarious. The Korea Times reached out to a couple of workers from developing countries to hear their stories. All the names have been changed to protect their privacy.

Jose, from the Philippines, used to work at a shipbuilder in Mokpo, but lost his job in July when the company went bankrupt. He used to earn 1.8 million won a month, out of which he sent about 1.4 million back home to Cebu where his wife and daughter live.

He has been without any income for two months; but earlier this week, with the help of a local Korean resident, he was able to sue the company for his unpaid salary and severance pay of about 6 million won.

"My family is now relying on savings. I don't know how long this will last, but I need to earn money again soon to send to them," Jose told The Korea Times during a telephone interview Tuesday. He had a job interview coming up later in the week but wasn't so thrilled. "The company handles oil and chemicals and I am afraid I could get injured at work. But, there aren't so many opportunities right now. So, I will go for the interview and see."

Neil, also from the Philippines, is lucky enough to have a job. He works in Ulsan at a company making machinery that produces auto parts for Hyundai Motor. He is also suffering from the pandemic which has reduced the automobile sales.

"People are staying home and don't buy cars. That means we don't do so much work." He used to earn 2.4 million won per month on average when things were good, but now is paid only 1.8 million. He keeps about 500,000 won for himself and sends the rest back home to Bicol to support his family. "We've got a mortgage and other spending and 1.3 million won isn't enough."

Cao is an ethnic Korean from China. She and her family moved to Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, eight years ago. But, her husband died a few years back and now she is the breadwinner for the family. She works at a factory that assembles phone batteries and gets paid by the hours on minimum wage. Although her company hasn't been shut down by the pandemic, she lost all her overtime hours which badly reduced the amount of money she takes home.

"I am worried but at the same time, I think things will be alright," she said during a phone interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday.

But she can't stop worrying about her two children who are staying home. "My first daughter takes online classes. But honestly, I don't know if she's catching up with school," she said. Cao is not in a position to help her daughter because she has to work and doesn't speak the language fluently.

The experience of Alexandr offers a unique glimpse into the life of an immigrant family which is strongly affected by the pandemic.

Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the 18-year-old moved to Korea with his parents and his older brother. In July, he and his family traveled back home to change their visa status. What was supposed to be a one-month-long trip made them into nomads as the Korean Embassy in Almaty was closed due to the pandemic.

"It's still closed, and we don't know when it will open back up," the boy said. Luckily, they had a place to stay in Kazakhstan, but the family members are simply waiting to get back to Korea without knowing when.

What keeps Alexandr busy is his school work. From Monday to Friday, he wakes up at 6 a.m. to take online classes offered by his Korean high school in Ansan.

"I want to go back to Korea soon so that I can meet my friends and hang out with them."

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