South Korea has decided to accept 207,000 nonprofessional foreign workers into the country next year under a program aimed to cope with labor shortages in sectors such as agriculture and fisheries, according to officials Friday.
Under the decision reached by a government committee, the number of workers under the E-9 employment permit visa for next year was set at 130,000, down 35,000 compared with this year, according to the Office for Government Policy Coordination.
The number of workers under the E-8 seasonal work visa was increased by 7,000 to 75,000, taking into account population declines in rural and fishing communities.
For the E-10 seafarer employment visa, there is no fixed total limit, as it operates under a total quota system. Officials expect the number to be around 2,100 next year.
The government plans to finalize the visa-specific quotas and establish an operational plan for next year after consulting with relevant agencies. (Yonhap)
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