Last Year, International Migration Turned to 'Net Inflow'... Non-Professional Employment Foreign Arrivals Increased by 638.6%

Statistics Korea Announces 2022 International Migration Statistics on the 13th

Last year, as COVID-19 quarantine measures and restrictions on international travel were eased and the number of foreign arrivals increased, a "net inflow" occurred where the number of arrivals exceeded departures. This marked a shift from net outflow in 2021 to net inflow. In particular, due to the expansion of the non-professional employment (E-9) quota last year, the number of foreign arrivals under non-professional employment increased by 638.6%.

According to the "2022 International Migration Statistics" released by Statistics Korea on the 13th, among international migrants staying over 90 days last year, 606,000 entered South Korea, while 518,000 departed, resulting in a net inflow of 88,000. This reversed the net outflow of 66,000 recorded in 2021, which had occurred for the first time in 16 years due to the impact of COVID-19.

Lim Young-il, head of the Population Trends Division at Statistics Korea, said at a briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day, "The COVID-19 quarantine situation has somewhat improved, and restrictions on international travel have been eased," adding, "As a result, the scale of foreign labor introduction expanded, increasing the total number of migrants."

The total number of migrants, combining arrivals and departures, was 1,124,000, an increase of 237,000 (26.8%) compared to the previous year.

Compared to the previous year, domestic arrivals increased by 3,000 (1.7%), and departures increased by 60,000 (28.3%). The increase in departures is the largest since the statistics began. The net migration of domestic nationals was a net outflow of 80,000, an increase of 57,000 compared to the previous year.

Foreign arrivals increased by 192,000 (87.2%) compared to the previous year, while departures decreased by 19,000 (-7.1%). Net migration shifted from a net outflow of 43,000 the previous year to a net inflow of 168,000. The increase in foreign arrivals is also the largest since the statistics began.

Foreign arrivals were concentrated in China (95,000), Vietnam (52,000), and Thailand (35,000), accounting for 43.9% of the total. In particular, employment-related arrivals increased by 71,000 (105.5%) compared to the previous year.

The visa status of foreign arrivals was highest for employment (33.4%), followed by study/general training (21.5%), short-term (21.4%), and permanent residence/marriage immigration (12.7%).

Especially, employment arrivals (138,000) increased by 71,000 (105.5%) compared to the previous year, among which non-professional employment arrivals surged by 638.6% to 75,000. Lim explained, "The significant increase in foreign arrivals was due to the expansion of the foreign non-professional employment (E-9) quota last year," adding, "In particular, the increase in arrivals of students and non-professional workers is the largest since the statistics began." The government increased the E-9 foreign labor new entry quota from 59,000 to 69,000 last year.

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