Gwangju Immigration Office Announces 'Measures for Managing Illegal Foreign Residents'

Implementation of Voluntary Departure System and Preparation of Measures in Four Areas

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] A ‘Countermeasure for Managing Illegal Foreign Residents’ has been announced to establish order in the stay of foreigners and to activate a virtuous cycle of human exchange.

According to the Gwangju Immigration Office on the 8th, the number of illegal foreign residents, which had been maintained at around 200,000 for several years, surged from 210,000 in 2016 to 380,000 as of the end of last year.

Not only are they encroaching on jobs for vulnerable groups such as those in construction sites and increasing illegal employment businesses, thereby undermining the foundation of legal workforce systems such as the employment permit system, but the number of illegal foreign residents is also expected to exceed 400,000 in the future.

It is judged that the traditional and flat reduction measures focused on crackdowns and voluntary departures alone are insufficient to curb the steep increase in newly inflowing illegal foreign residents.

Accordingly, by introducing effective policy measures such as granting re-entry opportunities upon voluntary departure within a certain period, this countermeasure was prepared to induce and create an environment for a virtuous cycle of human exchange with ASEAN countries and to maximize trust and effectiveness in the new voluntary departure system.

In cases of voluntary departure after a certain period or when caught in crackdowns, fines will be imposed according to the violation to establish a sense of lawfulness and actively block the inflow of new illegal foreign residents attempting to enter Korea.

First, re-entry opportunities will be granted to foreigners who voluntarily depart by June 30. A ‘Voluntary Departure Confirmation’ will be issued to those who voluntarily leave, and after a certain period, a single-entry short-term visit visa (C-3·90 days) will be issued to provide re-entry opportunities.

Also, until June 30, the imposition of fines will be deferred, and for three months after July, 30% of the original fine amount will be imposed, followed by 50% thereafter. If the fine is paid, the entry ban will be waived, and if the fine is unpaid, an entry ban of 1 to 10 years will be applied for three months after July, and 3 to 10 years thereafter.

Foreigners caught in crackdowns will have their fines deferred until February 28 and fines will be imposed starting March.

Along with this, to contribute to resolving labor shortages in industrial sites, the ‘Voluntary Reporting System for Illegal Employment in Small and Medium Manufacturing Companies,’ the ‘Voluntary Reporting System for Illegal Employment in Farming and Fishing Villages,’ and the ‘Voluntary Reporting System for Foreigners Not Following Procedures Such as Workplace Changes’ will be operated.

Furthermore, for humanitarian considerations and protection of foreigner human rights, temporary stay will be allowed if departure is difficult. The target includes foreigners who are recognized as needing a certain period to prepare for departure due to unavoidable reasons such as medical treatment, pregnancy, or childbirth.

For the target individuals, the departure deadline will be postponed until the disability reason is cured (up to one year), and if they depart within the deadline, a single-entry short-term visit visa (C-3·90 days) will be issued (verifying criminal records and contagious diseases in their home country).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.