Sacheon-si Faces Labor Shortage During Farming Season... First Introduction of Foreign Seasonal Workers

Rural Labor Shortage Relief: Up to 5-Month Foreign Worker Invitation Reinstated

Sacheon City Hall, Gyeongnam.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Sacheon City, Gyeongnam Province, is introducing the foreign seasonal worker system for the first time to address the shortage of labor during the busy farming season.

According to the city on the 27th, the foreign seasonal worker system will be implemented starting in 2023, and from the 24th until November 7th, they are recruiting farms wishing to hire and seasonal workers.

The foreign seasonal worker system invites foreign workers for up to five months to alleviate the short-term labor shortage in rural areas that occurs seasonally during sowing and harvesting periods.

Applicants include farms (including agricultural corporations) wishing to employ foreign seasonal workers and foreigners who want to participate in the seasonal worker program. Depending on the crop cultivation area, up to nine workers can be applied for per farm.

However, foreigners wishing to participate in the seasonal worker program must be relatives within the fourth degree of kinship of marriage immigrant families.

Farms wishing to introduce foreign seasonal workers in 2023 should bring their ID and agricultural management registration confirmation and apply in person at the Human Resources Development Team, Livestock and Agriculture Division, Sacheon Agricultural Technology Center.

Participating farms must provide appropriate living conditions such as accommodation and food supplies for the seasonal workers and comply with labor conditions including minimum wage, working period, and overtime guarantees.

After completing the preliminary procedures, the city will submit the seasonal worker introduction plan to the Ministry of Justice in November to receive approval and allocation, and from next year, foreign seasonal workers will be assigned to farms.

Kim Hye-jin, officer of the Human Resources Development Team, Livestock and Agriculture Division, said, “Due to the decrease and aging of the rural population, farms are facing a shortage of labor. We will do our best to ensure that manpower is supplied timely by effectively utilizing the foreign seasonal worker program.”

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