Number of foreign workers under Employment Permit System hits record high

The number of foreign workers in Korea, as of July 2024, has reached a record high of 287,424, according to the latest data. This figure represents the maximum number of foreign workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS) that have been recorded in the country. The EPS is a program designed to allow small and medium-sized businesses experiencing labor shortages to hire nonprofessional foreign workers. These workers are granted E-9 visas to work in Korea.

The EPS has seen a steady increase in the number of foreign workers since its inception. In 2021, there were 159,463 foreign workers under the EPS, this number grew to 203,121 in 2022. By 2023, the number had risen to 247,191, and by the end of 2024, it had increased to 271,925. The highest number of foreign workers under the EPS was recorded in 2024, with 282,839 individuals.

Among the various industries, the manufacturing sector accounts for the largest share of foreign workers under the EPS. Specifically, 229,844 foreign workers, which is 80 percent of the total, work in this sector. The agriculture and livestock sector follows with 33,878 foreign workers, or 11.8 percent of the total. Fishery sector employs 15,441 foreign workers, which is 5.4 percent of the total.

Construction sector employs 6,724 foreign workers, or 2.3 percent of the total. Lastly, the services sector employs only 1,410 foreign workers, or 0.5 percent of the total.