78% of SMEs Willing to Hire Foreign Students
by Kim Chulhyun
Published 28 Apr.2026 08:03(KST)
Alleviating Labor Shortages Expected
78.8% of Foreign Students and Job Seekers Hope to Find Employment in Korea
A recent survey found that eight out of ten small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are willing to hire foreign students or job seekers. Nearly 80% of foreign students studying in Korea also expressed a desire to find employment in the country. This suggests that utilizing foreign talent could be one solution to the ongoing labor shortage faced by SMEs.
On April 28, the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) announced that it had conducted a survey to assess demand for employment connection support for foreign students and job seekers, as well as to gauge on-site perceptions. The survey was conducted online from April 8 to 15, targeting 477 SMEs and 676 foreign students and job seekers. The companies surveyed were those supported by KOSME policy programs, while the foreign participants mainly included students from leading universities for global talent employment and those enrolled in the K-Export Warrior Academy.
The results showed that 78.4% of the responding companies indicated a willingness to hire foreign students or job seekers in the future. Additionally, 63.7% believed that such hires would help address their recruitment difficulties. However, the biggest challenge cited in the hiring process was difficulty accessing recruitment information and identifying suitable candidates (75.9%). A total of 63.7% of companies also emphasized the need for proactive public-sector matching efforts. Of the responding companies, 52.6% were based in the Seoul metropolitan area and 47.4% were located outside the metropolitan area, while 74.8% operated in the manufacturing sector.
The survey of foreign students and job seekers also reflected strong interest in finding employment in Korea and demand for public-sector job matching support. Among all respondents, 78.8% expressed an intention to seek employment in Korea. Furthermore, 70.1% noted the need for direct employment matching services led by the government, local authorities, or public institutions. The main challenges to employment were identified as difficulties in finding recruitment information (48.2%), language and cultural barriers (41.0%), and the burden of visa procedures (28.3%). Additionally, 69.3% of respondents were found to be residing outside the Seoul metropolitan area, highlighting the necessity for regionally-based job matching efforts.
The results of this survey indicate that employment support for foreign students and job seekers needs to go beyond the mere provision of information and should strengthen job matching functions that directly connect companies with talent. Han-Gyo Jo, Director of Human Resources Development at KOSME, stated, "This survey serves as foundational data confirming demand for employment connection not only from SMEs but also from foreign students and job seekers." He added, "We will continue to strengthen employment support by organically linking existing initiatives such as leading universities for global talent employment, the K-Export Warrior Academy, and the K-Work Platform, so that foreign students and job seekers can help address the labor shortage and enhance the competitiveness of SMEs."
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