Foreign students train to ease Korea’s growing caregiver shortage

YANGJU, Gyeonggi — In a classroom in Yangju, a city about 35 kilometers (21 miles) north of Seoul, dozens of international students gathered around a mannequin to practice caring for older adults.

The students massaged the mannequin's hands and legs as the lecturer explained that caregivers “need to change the patients’ positions every two hours so that they don’t develop pressure sores.”

In another scenario, one student asked, “Grandmother, where does it hurt?” in kind Korean as a 21-year-old Vietnamese classmate slowly walked down the aisle, pretending to be an older adult.

“I’ll call the nurse for you,” the student said, earning a compliment from the lecturer.

The scenes unfolded on Sept. 3 during a Korean language class for caregiving at Seojeong University, where students are enrolled in the second semester of a two-year caregiver training program.

The government designated 24 universities nationwide to offer caregiver training programs for international students last year, with a two-year pilot program beginning this year. As of August, 21 universities were participating.

The initiative comes as Korea faces a growing need for caregivers amid its aging population. 

Korea officially became a super-aged society as the share of residents aged 65 and older surpassed 20 percent, according to 2025 census data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics in July. By 2050, that proportion is expected to reach 40 percent of the total population.

According to the Health Insurance Research Institute, around 116,734 additional caregivers will be needed by 2028.

The program also offers eligible foreign graduates a pathway to E-7 visas to work as caregivers.

Previously, eligibility for the national caregiver certification exam was limited to people holding visas that allowed them to reside in Korea, including F-2, F-4 and F-6 visas. The eligibility criteria were expanded to include D-2 and D-10 visa holders in July 2024.

From family caregiving to a career in Korea

Naing, a 27-year-old from Myanmar, came to Korea specifically to enroll in the program six months ago.

“I studied and graduated back in Myanmar, but with the civil war ongoing in my country, I couldn’t find a job immediately,” she said in Korean. Naing had studied the language for a year in her home country.

“I applied for the program after my aunt, who works as a caregiver here, recommended that I try it.”

For Khaing, a 25-year-old who also came to Korea from Myanmar two years ago, enrolling in the program was a natural choice.

“In Myanmar, there are many older adults and many households live with their grandparents,” Khaing said.

“I thought it would be helpful for my family and me because I could take care of my own grandfather in the future, as well as other older adults.”

Asanka’s upbringing in Sri Lanka also motivated him to study caregiving.

“When I was little, I used to live with my grandmother,” the 33-year-old said. “I helped her with things like eating and taking a shower, which made me want to help older adults.”

Before returning to Korea, Asanka had also studied caregiving in Sri Lanka.

He had previously worked in Korea for two years about a decade ago and decided to return after hearing about the program, drawn in part by his familiarity with the country and its language.

“I want to become a caregiver who works hard, shares kind words and helps older adults think positively,” Asanka said.

To qualify for the national caregiver certification exam, students must complete 320 hours of classroom instruction, including lectures and practical classes, as well as field training.

At Seojeong University, the two-year course covers Korean language, caregiving and human rights, along with practical training at nursing facilities and during home visits. Students also learn about social welfare and information systems used in caregiving.

Students at designated universities may also be eligible for part-time work or internships at care facilities if they meet certain requirements, such as a specified Topik level or number of completed semesters.

To work as foreign caregivers, candidates must hold a national caregiver certificate and meet the language requirement of at least Level 3 on Topik or Level 3 of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program.

Building connections with older adults

Language is a key to becoming a caregiver in Korea, as the job involves building connections with older adults.

“The job isn’t just about changing diapers and helping the older adult eat,” said Shin Se-hyun, who has operated a nursing home in Incheon since 2014. “Building an emotional connection may be difficult if you don’t have the language skills.”

During the Korean language class on Sept. 3, lecturer Kim Mi-ri, who also runs a nursing home and has firsthand experience caring for older adults, echoed the importance of Korean proficiency.

“You need to open your mouth wide and speak clearly so that the older adults can understand you,” Kim said. “A simple word of encouragement and positivity always helps, too.”

Language proficiency is not the only challenge. Finding people suited to the job and earning the trust of older adults and their families are also concerns.

Kim Hak-jae, head of Seojeong University’s Department of Global Elderly Care Welfare, worries that some older adults may hold stereotypes about foreign caregivers based on their appearance or religious attire, potentially making it difficult for international students to remain in Korea and work.

“Taking care of a person isn’t a job for everyone,” he said.

Shin also said family members of older adults might be skeptical about foreign caregivers.

“I don’t think the older adults will be reluctant to be cared for by foreign caregivers because many suffer from dementia,” he said. “But the guardians may not like the idea so much.”

Jeong In-suk, a professor in Seojeong University’s Department of Global Elderly Care Welfare and head of the university's caregiver training center, noted that similar situations have occurred.

“There have been cases in which guardians requested to see for themselves how foreign caregivers look after their mothers,” she said. However, she pointed out that older adults tend to respond positively to foreign caregivers, as many treat them as if they were their grandchildren.

Will foreign caregivers fill the gap?

Even if the students pass the test, the question remains whether they will remain in the Korean caregiver job market long term, as working conditions have yet to improve.

Prof. Kim believes the caregiver shortage could be addressed more naturally if working conditions improve.

“The major issue is that caregivers do not receive the right compensation relative to the amount and intensity of work they do,” he said.

“It’s the same whether you work for 10 years or 15 years. A solution can come naturally if there are opportunities for promotion and improvements in working conditions.”

According to a 2025 survey on long-term care announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, caregivers at nursing home facilities earned an average hourly wage of 13,345 won ($9.8), while those providing care in private homes earned 13,817 won. The country’s minimum wage that year was 10,320 won.

By comparison, average pay at small- and mid-sized manufacturing companies stood at 114,682 won a day, or 14,335 won per hour, as of August last year, according to the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business.

Shin also expressed reservations about the relatively young age of the foreign caregiver work force.

“Young caregivers, let’s say in their 20s and 30s, have less experience in society and tend not to work for the long term,” he said.

“It would also be difficult for them to blend in with the other caregivers because of the age difference.”

“Most Korean caregivers are in their 50s or older,” said Prof. Jeong.

Whether the pilot program succeeds remains uncertain, as designated universities will see the first round of graduates in 2028.

At Seojeong University, five international students have passed the national caregiver examination and received their certificates so far. Two are currently working as caregivers in Korea on E-7 visas.

The university began accepting international students into the program after the relevant regulations were amended. 

“There are 80 students enrolled in the program right now,” said Prof. Kim. Forty students enrolled each semester this year. 

When selecting students, Kim said relevant experience and Korean language proficiency were the two most important factors.

“We conduct document screening followed by interviews, which are offered both online and offline,” Kim said, adding that university officials had also traveled to Mongolia to conduct interviews.

The government aims to issue up to 400 E-7 visas for foreign caregivers and has capped enrollment in the pilot program at 1,092 students. But only 538 students enrolled in the first semester this year, according to government data shared by Democratic Party Reps. Baek Seung-a and Seo Mi-hwa.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]