အလုပ္ဗီဇာေတြ ေခတၱရပ္ထား

By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Korea Times Newspaper

Visa for Foreign Workers Suspended

The government said Tuesday that it will stop issuing E-9 work visas until next year as the number of foreign workers arriving here on the visa reached the annual quota of 72,000 for the period March 2008 to February 2009.

Officials said a new quota will be set next February after taking into account overall labor market conditions, but added it was unlikely to be increased due to the shrinking job market here in the wake of slumping global economy, and the government's priority in creating jobs for Koreans.

Labor experts expect competition to win E-9 visas to become fiercer next year.

``This is the first time that the number of applicants has exceeded the quota since the introduction of Work Permit Program in 2004,'' said Park Byeong-gi, an official from the Ministry of Labor. He pointed out that an increase in the number of foreign workers renewing their contracts was the primary reason the quota was filled early.

According to the ministry, of 34,750 foreigners who received E-9 visas in 2006, most of them renewed their visas this year.

``Most E-9 holders applied for an extension and combined with new applicants, the total number of visas issued reached the annual ceiling,'' Park said.

To prevent possible manpower shortage at firms relying on foreign workers following the suspension, the ministry plans to allocate those asking to change their workplaces to companies in need.

The number of foreign workers asking relocation jumped to 6,707 in December as a growing number of small and mid-size companies went bankrupt or shut down in the aftermath of the sluggish economy. Nine out of ten foreigners here on E-9 visas work at small-sized companies, Park said.

Under the law, those asking to change their workplace must find a new company within two months after their application, or leave the country.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr