Over 44,000 ethnic Korean laborers secure long-term visas as gov't speeds up integration
In a major overhaul of its immigration framework, the Korean government is rapidly tearing down long-standing bureaucratic divides to offer permanent settlement pathways for hundreds of thousands of ethnic Koreans returning to their ancestral homeland. According to government figures released Wednesday, more than 54 percent of ethnic Koreans holding short-term H-2 visiting employment visas have…
The Korean government has significantly revamped its immigration policies, accelerating the integration of ethnic Korean laborers by granting them permanent settlement opportunities. As of a recent government report, over 44,000 ethnic Koreans who previously held short-term H-2 visas have successfully converted to F-4 status, representing a six-month period following the implementation of the reform in February of this year.
The transition has led to a sharp decrease in the H-2 visa holder count, falling from 81,447 in mid-February to 31,186 by the end of July, illustrating a rapid acceptance of longer-term residency rights. This represents a significant shift in Korea's approach to diaspora integration, as ethnic Koreans from former Soviet states (Koryoin) or northeastern China (Joseonjok) historically encountered more stringent bureaucratic obstacles compared to those with passport status from Western countries or developed economies.
While certain groups have been granted broader rights as overseas compatriots, others have been confined to more restrictive categories.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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