Ministry of Justice Designates 16 'Fostering Specialized Technical Departments' for International Students

Up to 800 Skilled Foreign Professionals Expected to Be Supplied Annually

The 'Fostering Specialized Technical Departments' program, aimed at settling international students as key personnel in the regional manufacturing sector, is being launched.

Plaque and certificate awarding ceremony for 16 designated specialized colleges under the 'Fostering Specialized Technical Departments' held by the Ministry of Justice on the afternoon of the 26th at the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do. Ministry of Justice

On the afternoon of March 26, the Ministry of Justice held a plaque and certificate awarding ceremony at the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi Province for 16 specialized colleges designated to lead the future of regional industries under the 'Fostering Specialized Technical Departments' program.

The Fostering Specialized Technical Departments program (K-CORE, E-7-M) is a system designed to systematically cultivate international students who possess both Korean language proficiency and specialized technical skills, enabling them to settle as core personnel in regional manufacturing sites. Students who meet the Korean language requirement (TOPIK Level 3) are exempted from the financial requirements typically needed for the issuance of a student visa. In addition, the permitted number of part-time work hours will increase from the current 30 hours to 35 hours. Furthermore, upon graduation, those who gain employment at companies related to their major will be eligible for an E-7-M work visa, and will also receive preferential consideration when applying for residency status (F-2) in the future.

The Fostering Specialized Technical Departments program will begin its first classes in March this year. Six colleges in the metropolitan area and ten in non-metropolitan regions have been selected for this initiative. The Ministry of Justice expects that up to 800 skilled foreign technical personnel per year will be supplied to local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through this program.

Justice Minister Jeong Seongho stated, "It is time to move away from the practice of directly importing the needed workforce from overseas and instead establish a virtuous cycle in which outstanding talents nurtured at our universities settle in local communities."

He further added, "Specialized colleges will serve as the cradle for nurturing core talent that supports the backbone of industrial sites. The government will also actively support university growth and the vitality of the local economy by improving systems related to student and work visas."

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