South Korea cuts 2026 low-skilled foreign worker quota to 80,000

The E-9 visa allows nationals from 17 countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Thailand, Bangladesh and Indonesia, to work in labour-intensive sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, construction, fisheries and services for up to three years.

The stay can be extended by up to two additional years upon an employer’s request to the government.

The annual quota has continued to decrease from 165,000 in 2024 to 130,000 in 2025, before falling to 80,000 for 2026.

The government stated that demand for foreign labour, which surged after the COVID-19 pandemic, has returned to pre-pandemic levels. It also cited a decline in job vacancies in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

Despite the reduction, industry observers say labour shortages are unlikely to worsen, as the number of newly issued E-9 visas in recent years has already hovered around 80,000.

To address concerns over labor shortages in regions outside the Seoul metropolitan area, the ministry said it will ease employment restrictions for companies located outside Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. These firms will be allowed to hire E-9 workers up to 30 percent of their Korean workforce, up from the current 20 percent limit.

“We will continue efforts to ensure that foreign and domestic jobs play complementary roles and form a virtuous cycle,” a labour ministry official said. “We will also build an integrated support system for all foreign workers to provide comprehensive protection and assistance without blind spots.”

Lim Jae-seong

The Korea Herald

Asia News Network