Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea (Yonhap)

The South Korean government has started receiving application from foreign workers who hope to work here on a nonprofessional employment visa.

From Sept. 19-29, workers are able to apply for a nonprofessional employment E-9 visa via the Employment Permit System, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

This is in line with the ministry’s decision on Aug. 31 to raise the total quota of E-9 visas by 10,000 this year, from 59,000 to 69,000. The job additions were made in an attempt to mitigate the labor shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the increased 10,000, 6,800 will go toward manufacturing, 1,230 to farming, 610 to fisheries and 360 to construction. The remaining 1,000 is to be flexible.

The application can be submitted at regional job centers across the country or via the official EPS website.

Under the EPS, those who take a job position will be allowed to stay in South Korea for three years. At the employer’s request, the period can be extended to five years.

The government has simplified visa procedures and taken other measures, including increasing air routes, to increase the supply of foreign workers.

Preparing to welcome more immigrant workers, the ministry will overhaul the rights protection system for foreign workers. The ministry is working on stricter qualifications and liability of employers while planning to check 1,500 workplaces that employ foreign workers in October and November.

More information can be found at the EPS website.