Foreigners working in South Korea with an E-9 visa will likely be required to have fluent Korean language ability in order to stay in Korea continuously for up to 10 years.

     According to the plan announced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the employment system will provide further benefits to foreign laborers who are fluent in Korean. Their Korean proficiency must be proven by a high score in the state-run Test of Proficiency in Korean or TOPIK. Additionally, applicants also have to complete the Korea Immigration and Integration Program, which is a state-run immigrant education program.

     On top of that, the ministry is planning to allow E-9 visa holders to work in more varied industries such as cargo handling, waste disposal, fresh produce, and tobacco brokerage.

     The idea came as the government seeks to expand the quota for E-9 visas from the current 69,000 to 110,000 in 2023.

     “Local industries are struggling due to a lack of workers with no change in the current EPS system for the past two decades. The latest announcement is in line with our plan to help local companies that need a foreign workforce while simultaneously boosting our labor market," Park Jong-pil, a head of the labor ministry’s planning and coordination, said.