Visas get easier for people working in shipbuilding

Visa application requirements have been relaxed for foreigners who studied shipbuilding at Korean universities, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Friday.

Jang Young-jin, vice minister of trade, industry and energy, announce plans to ease visa requirements for foriegners graduating from shipbuilding-related majors in Korea at a press conference on Friday. [NEWS1]

Visa application requirements have been relaxed for foreigners who studied shipbuilding at Korean universities, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Friday.

Foreign students in majors related to shipbuilding and ocean engineering had to get their skillset levels approved by trade ministry-affiliated organizations to renew their student visa to E-7-3 — also known as the visa for technicians — after graduation. From now on, students won’t need to go through that process if they graduated with such majors from a Korean university.

The quota for E-7-4 visas, similar to the E-7-3 but for people with work experience of five years or more, was raised to 5,000 this year, up 150 percent compared to the previous year. A separate quota of 400 visas per year for shipbuilding-related workers was also established.

The government is tackling a labor shortage in the shipbuilding industry. According to the trade ministry, the shipbuilding industry will need 14,000 more workers this year to meet orders.

The Ministry of Justice allocated 20 additional employees for shipbuilding-related visa screening, which is expected to shorten the visa issuance process from five weeks to 10 days on average.

Shipbuilding companies were allowed to have foreigners make up 20 percent of their workforce, which will be raised to 30 percent for the next two years.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]