Korea to Invite 105,000 Foreign Workers in 2006

[Beet]

By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff Reporter
The government will invite 105,000 foreign workers from 10 countries this year to ease labor shortages at small-and medium-sized companies.

The number is down 11,000 workers from 116,000 last year. They will come from Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, China, and Cambodia.

The Ministry of Labor said Wednesday that 16 domestic business sectors suffering manpower shortages will be able to employ the migrant workers, up from the current 12 sectors such as manufacturing and construction last year.

Four new sectors include fish farming, garbage recycling, retail and bathhouse businesses.

A total of 73,000 migrant workers are expected to come to work in the country under the work permit system, which was introduced in August 2004, while 32,000 workers will come under the decade-long industrial trainee system.

The work permit system was created as an alternative to the industrial trainee program in a bid to better help businesses ease their labor shortages and reduce the number of undocumented workers.

Under the system, foreigners willing to work in Korea are required to learn about Korean culture and language in advance, and are permitted to work here for up to three years.

They are entitled to enjoy the same treatment as local employees, including the right to organize, benefits from industrial accident insurance, and a guarantee of minimum wages.

The government said the system has worked smoothly to supply small- and medium-sized businesses, especially manufacturing firms, with qualified foreign workers.

But businesses and migrant workers have complained about the system due to its complex employment process and small worker quotas.

Many employers, in desperate need of foreign workers, say it is difficult to find workers as they have to get the government’s permission first, sign the employment contract, and then wait two or three months for the workers.

[Michael Z]

Interesting. A similar thing is happening in Japan. It'll take a while for Korea and Japan to adopt the kind of liberal stance to immigration we have in the US and Europe, but with east Asian economies developing as they are (not to mention the lowering birth rates) there is bound to be a shortage of labour in specific kinds of jobs, and thus there'll be a need for more immigrants from third world countries.

[Bono]

Which Korea?

[ag]

Which Korea?

Are you serious?

[phk]

The remittances will certainly be benefitial to the workers in foreign countries.

[opebo]

On my last flight out of Thailand there were a lot of Isaan fellows in a huge group who were getting off in Taiwan to become guest workers - in construction I think.  It seemed really awful to me that they would have to go live in a worse country to make money.  At least their sisters only have to go down to the beach resorts or Bangkok, and probably make 3 to 4 times what these fellows make.