Jeongeup-si Accelerates Introduction of Foreign Seasonal Workers

Published 08 Jul.2022 11:33(KST)

[Jeongeup=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jae-gil] Jeongeup City in Jeonbuk is accelerating the introduction of foreign seasonal workers to ensure stable labor supply for local farms.

The city announced on the 8th that it plans to introduce about 40 foreign seasonal workers to address the shortage of rural labor faced by local farms due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and population decline in rural areas.

The foreign seasonal worker system allows farms and fisheries, which require intensive labor for a short period such as planting or harvesting seasons, to legally employ foreigners under the seasonal work (E-8) visa status for up to five months.

Earlier, in March 2020, the city signed an MOU with Lupici, Philippines, to introduce foreign seasonal workers.

However, the project was suspended for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the transition to an endemic in the first half of this year, the city plans to first introduce about 40 foreign workers through detailed MOU agreements.

Once the foreign seasonal workers arrive, the city plans to allocate the first batch next month to local farms that applied for employment in the first half of the year.

As part of the 8th term mayor’s campaign promises, the city intends to gradually expand the project with a goal of introducing more than 300 foreign seasonal workers annually.

The expansion of foreign seasonal worker introduction is expected to somewhat alleviate the shortage of rural labor caused by low birth rates, aging population, population outflow, and seasonality.

Mayor Lee Hak-su said, “Starting with this introduction of foreign seasonal workers, we will accelerate efforts to resolve the deepening rural labor shortage,” adding, “We will expand the number of local governments signing MOUs and operate rural labor brokerage centers more extensively to prepare various measures for labor supply.”