The number of foreign workers in South Korea has decreased for the second consecutive year, primarily due to sluggish conditions in the construction and manufacturing sectors. Additionally, for the first time since the data began being collected, the number of arrivals from Vietnam has surpassed that from China.
According to the National Data Agency's '2025 International Migration Statistics' released on July 9, the net international migration last year was 74,000, a decrease of 51,000 from the previous year. The statistics focus on foreigners and nationals who have left their country of residence for more than 90 days.
The total number of movements exceeding 90 days was 1.296 million, down by 33,000 (-2.5%) from the previous year. Arrivals totaled 685,000, a decrease of 42,000 (-5.8%), while departures increased by 9,000 (1.5%) to 611,000.
Among these, the total number of foreign movements included 438,000 men and 368,000 women, with the number of women increasing by 2,000 compared to the previous year. The net international migration of foreigners continued for the fourth consecutive year with a net influx of 50,000, although this was a decrease of 48,000 from the previous year.
By age group, the largest number of foreign arrivals was in their 20s, totaling 151,000, followed by those in their 30s (99,000), teens (53,000), and 40s (47,000).
In terms of residency status, employment accounted for the largest share at 37.4%, followed by study and general training (25.2%) and permanent residency and marriage migration (13.15%). Among these, short-term arrivals numbered 54,000, a decrease of 19,000 (25.9%) from the previous year, while employment-related arrivals fell by 4,000 to 160,000.
The National Data Agency attributed the decline in employment-related arrivals to the economic downturn in the construction and manufacturing sectors, as well as a reduction in the quota for foreign workers. The Ministry of Employment and Labor had previously set the E-9 quota at 130,000, a reduction of 35,000 from the previous year.
Yoo Soo-deok, head of the population estimates team at the National Data Agency, stated, "Both skilled and unskilled workers have decreased compared to the previous year, and the number of unskilled workers entering under the E-9 visa has declined for two consecutive years. The sectors where these foreign workers primarily find employment are construction and manufacturing, which suggests that the domestic economic downturn has had an impact."
Vietnam, China, and the United States accounted for half of the foreign arrivals, with the number of arrivals from Vietnam surpassing those from China for the first time since the data collection began in 2000. Last year, 98,000 Vietnamese entered South Korea, exceeding the 94,000 from China by 4,000. This figure is nearly four times that of the United States, which had 23,000 arrivals. Vietnam also had the highest net influx, with 28,000, followed by Nepal with 16,000 and Uzbekistan with 6,000.
Yoo noted, "China has seen a continuous decline in arrivals under the overseas Korean, visiting worker, and H-2 residency categories, while Vietnam has experienced an increase in arrivals under study and general training categories, as well as a significant share in seasonal worker categories."
Meanwhile, the number of South Korean nationals entering and exiting the country has also decreased, with arrivals down by 19,000 (-7.0%) to 257,000 and departures down by 16,000 (-6.5%) to 233,000. The net migration of South Koreans has continued to show a net influx for the second consecutive year since turning positive in 2024, although the net influx has decreased by 3,000.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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