Gov’t to accept foreign workers in food, hotel industries

The government will begin accepting employment permit applications for foreign workers in the food service, hotel and condo industries starting April.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Employment and Labor engaged in discussions with various ministries, industry groups and 17 cities and provinces to explore ways of integrating foreign workers into different sectors and enhancing support mechanisms for them.

This year, employment permits for foreign workers will be newly issued in four industries: restaurants, hotels and condos, forestry and mining.

Among them, owners of restaurants, hotels and condos will be able to apply for permission to employ foreign workers starting in April.

The initiative will begin on a trial basis, specifically targeting assistant roles in Korean restaurants that have been in operation for more than five to seven years. Foreign workers can also be employed as cleaners or kitchen assistants in hotels and condos in four regions — Seoul, Busan, Jeju Island and Gangwon Province.

The government plans to evaluate the pilot project in November and come up with an improvement plan based on the findings.

Applications for employment permits in the forestry and mining industries will start being accepted in July. Permission for forestry is limited to reforestation, logging and seedling activities, while mining permits are for operations with an annual production of 150,000 tons or more only.

In response to labor shortages at industrial sites, the government increased the number of non-professional work visas (E-9) for foreign workers under the Employment Permit System to 165,000 this year, up 120,000 from last year. The expansion also includes an increase in the number of industries eligible for employment permits.

This aims to address labor shortages in the hospitality industry as part of broader efforts to attract more foreign workers amid a declining birthrate.

The labor ministry plans to conduct a survey on employment management in these four new industries and strengthen counseling services for foreign workers, collaborating with relevant ministries.

Employment and Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik underscored that the ministry’s efforts alone are insufficient to ensure a stable working environment amid a rapid surge in the number of foreign workers.

“We need to enhance collaboration between related ministries, industry organizations and local governments to create a stable working environment,” Lee said.