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Matty
Joined: 13 Jun 2008
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 Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject: Good changes for foreign workers |
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I don't know how many of you have seen this article, but it's worth noting and seems like a good sign of things to come.
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Ministry promises more openness for foreigners
By Song Sang-ho
The government will implement plans to encourage foreign professionals to live and work here, the Justice Ministry said yesterday.
The ministry plans to introduce various visa incentives for qualified foreign professionals and investors, and to allow foreign workers to switch jobs within the same profession. It also plans to launch programs to help foreigners, particular those with Korean spouses, adapt to life here.
From September this year, the ministry will issue permanent-residence visas to qualified foreign professionals and investors.
Foreign nationals with special job skills in various areas, including science, education, culture and athletics, can apply for the visa from Korean embassies in their countries. Business professionals with plans to invest over $500,000 - a drop from the current $2 million - are also eligible for the visa.
Currently, only foreign nationals who meet various requirements, including several years of residing in Korea, are eligible for the visa. To ease worker shortage in provincial industrial complexes, the ministry is planning to reduce the required length of stay for workers from the current 10 years to five, beginning December 2008.
From July, the ministry also plans to issue visas for job-seekers with work experience in world-renowned multinationals or degrees from globally recognized universities.
The companies and schools must be among the world`s top 300 and 200, respectively, as listed by professional rating organizations such as Fortune, the Times of London and Newsweek.
The visa will be valid for six months, but can be extended upon request if legitimate reasons are given. Currently, anyone wishing to come to Korea for education or work is required to have an official invitation from the school or employer.
Foreign professionals will be allowed to switch jobs within the same industry from December this year. Currently, anyone who wants to move jobs is required to get permission from the government, a measure favored by local employers who fear high turnover rates. The ministry said it will further discuss the measure with local companies to stave off expected problems such as an increase in wage costs.
The ministry is also planning to devise a five-year plan by June this year to help foreigners settle in Korea. The plan includes various support programs to protect the fundamental rights of foreign immigrants married to Koreans and prevent discrimination against them.
As part of the efforts, the ministry plans to run Korean language and culture courses from January 2009. Foreign nationals seeking Korean citizenship who have completed the courses will be exempted from taking a naturalization exam. |
The article can be found here:
http://seoul.immigration.go.kr
I'm just getting an error right not trying to load the page so I can't get a better link right now.
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Message from the NSAPI plugin:
No backend server available for connection: timed out after 10 seconds. |
The following section is of particular interest:
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| Foreign professionals will be allowed to switch jobs within the same industry from December this year. Currently, anyone who wants to move jobs is required to get permission from the government, a measure favored by local employers who fear high turnover rates. The ministry said it will further discuss the measure with local companies to stave off expected problems such as an increase in wage costs. |
Any way, I hope this makes a few of your days a little moer hopeful, and maybe your boss will no longer be the ball and chain holding you down.
Matty ^_^ |
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gteacher
Joined: 24 May 2007
Location: Ghost in the machine
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:32 pm Post subject: Re: Good changes for foreign workers |
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| Matty wrote: |
The following section is of particular interest:
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| Foreign professionals will be allowed to switch jobs within the same industry from December this year. Currently, anyone who wants to move jobs is required to get permission from the government, a measure favored by local employers who fear high turnover rates. The ministry said it will further discuss the measure with local companies to stave off expected problems such as an increase in wage costs. |
Any way, I hope this makes a few of your days a little moer hopeful, and maybe your boss will no longer be the ball and chain holding you down.
Matty ^_^ |
This does not apply to E-2 visas. I was helping the immi office prep the report on this to the Blue house. I thought it was great and asked a few questions. E-2's and E-7's do not get this benifit, it is meant to benifit the factory workers. |
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Matty
Joined: 13 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject: Re: Good changes for foreign workers |
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| gteacher wrote: |
This does not apply to E-2 visas. I was helping the immi office prep the report on this to the Blue house. I thought it was great and asked a few questions. E-2's and E-7's do not get this benifit, it is meant to benifit the factory workers. |
If what they told you is right that's a real shame, I was quite excited about it. Well, I hope they change it to include E2 then or make something else since I'm planning to arrive in Jan/Feb. |
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gteacher
Joined: 24 May 2007
Location: Ghost in the machine
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject: Re: Good changes for foreign workers |
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| Matty wrote: |
| gteacher wrote: |
This does not apply to E-2 visas. I was helping the immi office prep the report on this to the Blue house. I thought it was great and asked a few questions. E-2's and E-7's do not get this benifit, it is meant to benifit the factory workers. |
If what they told you is right that's a real shame, I was quite excited about it. Well, I hope they change it to include E2 then or make something else since I'm planning to arrive in Jan/Feb. |
I would guess there is about a 0% chance they will include E2's in this. Their major concern is not E-series visa's, but D-series investors. The D-series will see many changes that will make thier lives in Korea easier. The goal of this project is to increase the number of non-korean professionals in the country. In Immigrations mind E2 teachers, especially those without education degrees, do not qualify as professionals. |
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littlelisa
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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Even though the article specifically mentioned education?
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Foreign nationals with special job skills in various areas, including science, education, culture and athletics, can apply for the visa from Korean embassies in their countries.
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So say you have a B.Ed in Education from a top 200 university.. ? |
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gteacher
Joined: 24 May 2007
Location: Ghost in the machine
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| If you have a B.Ed and are working on an E1 visa, then you are considered a professional. This is meant to help out those who qualify for the E1, but their university is screwing them over and treating them like a hagwon lacky. Now, if you have a B.Ed, you usually don't qualify for an E1 visa, unless you luck out. |
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DrOctagon
Joined: 11 Jun 2008
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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| I remember reading a similar article over a month ago. Is this the same one? |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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Matty, after you've been in Korea for a while, you'll understand that the Korean government "talks the talk" but doesn't "walk the walk."
There are many such "announcements" that are never backed up with positive action. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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yeah, the timing of this alone is very suspicious as it coincides dictator bush - oops i mean "president" bush's visit this week - when media people will be pouring over info about K and all; insert a little "feel good we are trying to do our best for Fs" PR campaign.
all a crock. business as usual. |
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Rob'sdad
Joined: 12 May 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
Matty, after you've been in Korea for a while, you'll understand that the Korean government "talks the talk" but doesn't "walk the walk."
There are many such "announcements" that are never backed up with positive action. |
In 1997 they were going to naturalize all children born to foreign fathers in Korea within the preceding 10 years. Nothing happened so I emailed the National Assemblyman from our district (I knew him previously) and he relied, "that won't happen." |
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