S. Korea aims to attract young foreign caregivers

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The Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced measures to attract young foreigners to work as caregivers, as the country faces a dramatic shortage in the sector to care for a rapidly aging society.

The ministry is seeking ways to allow D-10 visa holders to acquire nursing qualifications, it said Thursday. D-10 is considered a "job-seeker visa," which is designed for individuals who have graduated from Korean universities or have worked in the country for at least one year. Once a D-10 visa holder earns a nursing certificate and is employed at a sanatorium or nursing hospital, an E-7 visa, a type of work visa for foreign nationals will be issued.

The government plans to push a policy that gives incentives to those who have worked for a certain period in the sector, likely two to three years, to obtain permanent residence or a residency visa.

"A permanent residence visa is what foreigners want the most, so incentives like this can be one of the inducements," the ministry official said.

The measure is a part of the government's plan to have one caregiver take care of around four patients a year. Out of some 2.5 million certificate holders, only 601,492 actively work in the sector as of 2022. The government predicts a shortfall of about 100,000 professionals by 2027.

Currently, there are about 10,000 D-10 visa holders in Korea. Among them, the government predicts some 3,000 people with health and welfare-related majors could benefit. The Health Ministry said it is in discussions with related ministries, including the Ministry of Justice, to devise ways to attract qualified overseas workers.

By Choi Jeong-yoon(jychoi@heraldcorp.com)