Korea's Employment Permit System is now 20 years old. How has it changed over the years?

Most foreigners working at small and medium-sized businesses in Korea entered the country through the Employment Permit System (EPS). This system, which started in 2004, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Let’s find out what changes have occurred in the Employment Permit System so far. ^^

Changes in the Employment Permit System

The Employment Permit System refers to a system that issues work visas so that small and medium-sized businesses experiencing a manpower shortage can hire foreign workers.

In the first year of its introduction in 2004, 3,167 people entered the country under the Employment Permit System, and this year, the number of foreign workers allowed by the Korean government to enter the country under the Employment Permit System is 165,000, the highest ever.

As of the second quarter of this year, the total number of E-9 foreign workers working at domestic workplaces is 260,073. Starting in September, a pilot project for Filipino housekeepers was also launched in Seoul, broadening the scope of the Employment Permit System.

As of last year, among all foreign workers, those employed under the Employment Permit System (E-9 or H-2) accounted for 36%. Including these people, the number of employed foreigners residing in Korea was 923,000 as of last year, approaching 1 million. In particular, in the manufacturing industry, the number of domestic employment insurance subscribers has been decreasing since September of last year, so the importance of foreign workers is increasing.

Which country sends the most workers?

The Employment Permit System operates with 17 countries that have concluded worker dispatch agreements with Korea. People from these countries who want to work in Korea must take two tests. These include the skills test and Korean language proficiency test to obtain an E-9 visa.

A total of 4,846,935 foreigners took the test, of which 1,001,106 passed and came to Korea. They mainly work in manufacturing, construction, and agricultural, livestock, and fishing industries, which Koreans are reluctant to do.

The country that dispatches the most workers is Vietnam. A total of 146,283 people came to Korea. Indonesians, who mainly work in the fishing industry, dispatched the second largest number of workers to Korea, with 113,131.

Thailand (107,561 people) and Cambodia (104,018 people) also dispatched more than 100,000 workers to Korea. Nepal (99,899 people) ranked 5th.

The pros and cons of the Employment Permit System

The Employment Permit System also has shade. A representative example is that foreign workers cannot change workplaces without permission from the employer. There are many claims that it is a system that violates the human rights of foreign workers, but Korea's Supreme Court also ruled that this system is constitutional, so there is nothing we can do for the time being.

Another problem is that foreign workers have a high risk of industrial accidents. This often happens due to a lack of proper understanding of safety-related information, mainly due to language barriers.

Last year, the proportion of foreign workers among domestic industrial accident deaths was 10.5%. It is important to remember that foreign workers make up less than 5% of all workers, but their industrial accident death rate is as high as 10.5%.

Meanwhile, the Employment Permit System is developing. Workers with an E-9 visa can obtain a point-based professional (E-7-4) visa and then go down to the province to receive a residence (F-2) visa. After obtaining a residence visa, I was able to obtain a permanent residency (F-5) visa again five years later.

A method has been opened for foreigners who came to Korea under the Employment Permit System to obtain permanent residency.

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