KOTRA Hosts '2022 Foreign Student Recruitment Fair'

Expectations for Strengthening Domestic Companies' Overseas Expansion Capabilities and Resolving Labor Shortages

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Pyeonghwa] The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) will hold the '2022 Foreign Student Recruitment Fair' for two days starting from the 21st at COEX in Seoul. This fair, now in its 14th year, aims to provide opportunities for Korean companies seeking to hire foreign talent to meet foreign students studying in Korea.

This year, 115 domestic companies and about 1,600 foreign students from 88 countries will participate. The fair will feature programs centered on one-on-one recruitment consultations arranged in advance, including ▲company-specific recruitment briefings ▲special lectures by foreign employment seniors ▲employment visa consultations by the Ministry of Justice.

The participating companies cover various business sectors such as information and communications, materials, parts and equipment, consumer goods and services, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. The number of participating companies has increased by more than 40% compared to the previous year, reflecting the high interest of domestic companies in hiring foreign professionals.

Foreign students have the advantage of being familiar with Korean culture and proficient in the Korean language, enabling quick adaptation to work. Their educational level is also high, with master's and doctoral degree holders accounting for 56% of all applicants.

Kim Yuntae, head of KOTRA's Small and Medium Business Division, said, “We expect foreign students not only to be talents who simply have a favorable impression of Korea but also to serve as a bridgehead for overseas market expansion,” adding, “In the long term, this will help domestic small and medium-sized enterprises secure competitiveness in overseas expansion and resolve labor shortages.”

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