SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Thursday it will accept applications for new employment permits under its E-9 visa program in five rounds this year, allowing companies facing labor shortages to hire foreign workers.
The first round of applications will run from Jan. 26 to Feb. 10, followed by additional rounds in April, July, September, and November.
According to the ministry, companies can apply depending on their business conditions and staffing needs.
Starting this year, North Jeolla Province will be newly added to the areas where hotels and other accommodation facilities can hire E-9 workers. The hiring cap per manufacturing factories outside the Seoul metropolitan area will also rise to 30 percent, up from 20 percent.
In crop cultivation, greenhouse horticulture and specialty-crop operations with facilities smaller than 1,000 to 2,000 square meters will be allowed to hire up to eight workers. Grain and other food-crop cultivation will also be eligible.
A separate quota temporarily operated for shipbuilding will be merged into the manufacturing quota.
The first-round quota is allocated for 15,784 workers, with 11,275 for manufacturing, 2,382 for agriculture and livestock, 1,495 for fisheries, 492 for construction and 140 for service industries.
The first round of applications will run from Jan. 26 to Feb. 10, followed by additional rounds in April, July, September, and November.
According to the ministry, companies can apply depending on their business conditions and staffing needs.
Starting this year, North Jeolla Province will be newly added to the areas where hotels and other accommodation facilities can hire E-9 workers. The hiring cap per manufacturing factories outside the Seoul metropolitan area will also rise to 30 percent, up from 20 percent.
In crop cultivation, greenhouse horticulture and specialty-crop operations with facilities smaller than 1,000 to 2,000 square meters will be allowed to hire up to eight workers. Grain and other food-crop cultivation will also be eligible.
A separate quota temporarily operated for shipbuilding will be merged into the manufacturing quota.
The first-round quota is allocated for 15,784 workers, with 11,275 for manufacturing, 2,382 for agriculture and livestock, 1,495 for fisheries, 492 for construction and 140 for service industries.
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