Ministry of Justice Adjusts Skilled Worker Visa Quota to 33,000
Advance Disclosure of 2026 Annual Visa Issuance Quotas
Plan to Pilot Skilled Worker Visa for Mold Technicians
The Ministry of Justice announced on February 10 that it will adjust the annual issuance quota for Skilled Workers (E-7-4) visas in 2026 to 33,000. This is a slight decrease from 35,000 in the previous year.
This adjustment is based on the Ministry of Justice's analysis, including the report titled "Analysis of the Impact of Inflows of Foreigners on Regional Economies," which was used to calculate this year's visa issuance quota. It is also understood that an in-depth analysis has been conducted, including the implementation of the newly approved national statistics on sectors with concentrated foreign labor, namely the "Survey on the Employment Status of Foreign Workers (Manufacturing and Agriculture)."
The ministry is also moving to support the mold industry, which is struggling due to population aging and labor shortages. The Ministry of Justice plans to pilot the introduction of the General Skilled Worker (E-7-3) visa for foreign mold technicians. However, the specific method of introduction will be decided through the "2026 Ministry of Justice Visa and Stay Policy Council."
In addition, for occupations already under pilot operation, such as care workers and transmission line electricians, as well as seasonal worker and non-professional employment visas, the ministry will manage the annual issuance quota within the necessary range.
Going forward, the ministry plans to expand the scope of its analysis beyond employment visas to include various types of visas that affect regional economies.
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Meanwhile, since last year the Ministry of Justice has been formally operating the "Advance Disclosure System for Visa Issuance Quotas," under which it publicly announces the issuance scale of major visas. This system was introduced in light of the fact that a rapid increase in foreign labor, or its concentration in specific sectors, could affect jobs for Korean nationals.
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