Visa rules hold back Korean exporters from hiring more white-collar foreign workers

Nearly half of small- and medium-sized exporters in Korea have shown interest in hiring foreign nationals for white-collar jobs amid the country's declining population and young jobseekers' preference for large companies. However, Korea's current visa system has been cited as a major obstacle to bringing more foreign professionals on board. The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) said Wednesday that a recent survey of 659 small- and medium-sized exporters showed 49.5 percent of respondents plan to hire foreign nationals for white-collar roles within the next three years. Additionally, 27 percent said they have already hired foreign nationals for such positions, giving them an average satisfaction score of 3.8 out of 5. Among companies that have employed foreign white-collar workers, 39.4 percent cited the employees' ability to analyze overseas markets as the primary reason for hiring them, while 20.6 percent pointed to their language skills. Only 12.7 percent said they hired foreign workers to cut costs. Under current law, employers must ensure that E-7-1 visa holders receive a bWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times