Anchor: The government has significantly lowered the visa issuance requirements for skilled foreign workers in a bid to address labor shortages. However, to improve social integration, Korean language proficiency has been set as a requirement.
Max Lee has more.

Report: The number of skilled foreign laborers will drastically increase to 35,000 per year with the implementation of the “K-point E74” program.

The Ministry of Justice announced the start of the system on Monday, which hikes the new quota for such workers on an E-7-4 visa by a staggering 17-fold over the previous two-thousand per year.

The system will allow foreign workers who have stayed in the country for more than four years and possess a certain level of Korean proficiency to convert their visa to the E-7-4 upon recommendation by their employer of more than one year from the date of application.

Currently, foreign workers without a particular trade who enter the country on an E-9 visa must leave after ten years or be hit with “undocumented foreigner” status without the E-7-4 visa.

With the latest change in the visa system, the review process will also change significantly. Not only will the new method simplify complex application procedures, but will also strengthen the conditions for social integration.

The current eleven complex scoring criteria will be integrated into just three categories: income, Korean language proficiency and age.

In order to revitalize the local economy and support balanced regional development, additional points are given to those recommended by metropolitan governments or those who have worked for more than three years in regions with declining populations.

However, Korean language skills have been converted from optional to mandatory, and undocumented workers, tax defaulters and those with a criminal record that includes a fine of one million won or more are excluded from the latest program.

Applications for the E-7-4 visa can be made through the Hi Korea website (www.hikorea.go.kr) beginning Monday without the need to visit the local Immigration Office.

Max Lee, KBS World Radio News.