Intensive guidance and inspection to improve the living environment of foreign workers will be implemented

Recently, as the number of corona infections has decreased, the number of foreign workers entering the country is increasing significantly, with 6,208 entering the country in June alone due to increased flights.

These are mostly workers who were issued employment permits in 2020 and 2021 but were unable to enter the country.

The government is actively attracting foreign workers with the goal of allowing 10,000 people to enter Korea every month in the second half of this year.

However, in some areas, foreign workers are still living in temporary buildings such as containers, which is a problem.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that, since last year, in order to improve the residential environment of foreign workers, it has been disallowing employment permits to local governments if illegal temporary buildings are provided as accommodations for foreign workers.

If a temporary building needs to be used as a lodging facility depending on the working conditions such as a rural area, they must obtain a construction report certificate (temporary accommodation) from the local government, and it is illegal if they do not receive it. 

In addition, the Ministry of Employment and Labor makes it mandatory for all industries to submit visual data (photos and videos) other than the dormitory facility table when applying for an employment permit so that foreign workers can fully understand information about housing facilities.

Furthermore, if a foreign worker residing in an illegal temporary building wants to, it is allowed to change the workplace, even without the consent of the employer,  which would also not be counted as official workplace changes (3 times in 3 years, 2 times in 1 year and 10 months).

Also, the Ministry of Employment and Labor conducts on-site inspections of 3,000 workplaces every year, intensively inspecting the living conditions of foreign workers in dormitories.

In the inspection of foreign workers' housing conditions, it is necessary to check the type of accommodation, whether residential facilities are recognized by law, compliance with facilities such as firefighting facilities, wash bath facilities, and conditions of heating and cooling facilities, etc.

Inquiries: Ministry of Employment and Labor (044-202-7148)

Reporter Hasung Song