The Ministry of Justice announced a policy action in which they expanded the ‘foreign seasonal working system improvement plan’ related to the issuance of seasonal worker visas (C-4 and E-8 visas). The ministry’s goal with this initiative is known as the Seasonal Worker Program (SWP), which has been in full force since 2017, following a pilot project in 2015 and 2016. As it happened, the Joint Committee with Migrants Korea researched the issues in countries of origin and South Korea. The ministry aims to implement this working system as a foreign employment permit in rural and fishing areas ahead of the spring farming season for parents of foreign students in the nation which will be implemented as a pilot project for the whole year in 2024. Yet seasonal worker visas have been issued to relatives of married immigrants and local families of domestic relatives to resolve the shortage of workers in rural areas. Initially, the number expanded from 27,778 participants in the first half of last year. However, the Ministry of Justice along with the government, is actively working to further enhance the plan by aiming to accommodate the number of visas up to 49,286 participants.

▲ Welcome Event for Vietnamese Seasonal Workers (Photo from newsworker)

   Starting from February 26, 2024, to December 31, 2024, a new policy project will be initiated to test the feasibility of inviting the parents of foreign students (D-2) to work seasonally. To be eligible for the work policy, applicants must meet the following criteria. The work target area is limited to non-capital areas that attract foreign seasonal workers, as well as to the same area as the university where international students belong. Additionally, international students must be qualified to study abroad (D-2) and have attended a non-capital certification university for over a year. The remaining period of studying abroad should be for more than two semesters. Furthermore, parents of foreign students should be individuals who have not violated domestic laws while staying in Korea. Lastly, parents of international students must be under 55 years of age meet all the above requirements, and have no health problems or criminal record. All the conditions mentioned above must be met to qualify for the application. Qualification for stay is 90 days for a C-4 visa and 5 months + 3 months (as for extending the stay) for an E-8 visa.

   Foreign students must be qualified by these certification universities.

▲ Certification Universities List in Noncapital Areas (Data from Ministry of Justice)

   The start of the SWP through the E-8 visa has been seen as a potential solution to the shortage of workers in rural areas. Foreign seasonal workers are allowed to stay in South Korea for a temporary period to work. Despite the benefits of the program, there were many unauthorized departures during seasonal work together with some critics who argue that this might be seen as a form of forced labor, as some workers may not have a choice but to participate to support themselves and their families. However, one interesting development in the program is that this group of individuals is already familiar with Korean culture, as their children are studying and living in South Korea. Allowing them to come to the country on a seasonal visa not only helps to solve the problem of unauthorized departure but also strengthens ties between South Korea and the home countries of the foreigners.