International students pose for a selfie during their graduation ceremony at Dong-A University in Seo District, Busan, on Aug. 20.YONHAP
The metropolitan visa system will be overhauled to better match regional industries’ demand for foreign workers and encourage them to settle in local communities.
The Justice Ministry announced that it will launch the revamped system as a formal program for 2027 and 2028 after a two-year pilot period.
The system, which provides additional benefits to holders of D-2 student visas or E-7 work visas based on the needs of each region, was piloted in 15 of the country’s 17 metropolitan local governments, excluding Daejeon and Sejong. A total of 6,790 slots were allocated during the pilot period, with 2,665 foreign nationals residing in Korea under the system as of July.
What is the metropolitan visa?
The metropolitan visa is a region-based visa system designed to attract foreign talent and encourage foreigners to settle in regional areas by reflecting local economic and social needs in the immigration system.
Why it was introduced: Regional strategic industries such as shipbuilding and manufacturing are facing chronic labor shortages amid Korea’s declining birthrate, aging population and concentration of people and businesses in the Seoul metropolitan area.
How it works: The Justice Ministry works with metropolitan local governments to reflect the characteristics and work force needs of each region in the visa system.
What it aims to achieve: The system is intended to attract skilled foreign talent to regions, encourage them to settle there and contribute to the revitalization of local communities and economies.
The Justice Ministry is currently operating the metropolitan visa as a pilot program before its formal launch in 2027.
Under the revised system, local governments will be able to select both D-2 and E-7 visa holders rather than choosing one of the two categories. The total quota will also be reduced to around 3,000 to allow local governments to more closely manage participants.
Local governments will be required to conduct surveys on the demand for foreign workers in relevant industries before receiving a quota. They must also select target industries based on input from businesses and other stakeholders.
For D-2 student visas, eligibility will be linked to majors related to industries with a demonstrated need for workers in each region. The revised system will also provide additional benefits beyond the existing measures, such as eased financial requirements and expanded hours for part-time work, including employment support, incentives for transitioning to work visas and assistance for foreign residents’ families.
The screening process for international students will be tightened.
Under the pilot system, all newly admitted international students who met the relevant requirements were eligible to apply for and receive a metropolitan visa. Under the revised system, eligibility for first year students will be limited to students holding D-4-1 Korean language training visas and foreign nationals who attended a Korean high school from their first year.
International students who enter Korea to attend university will become eligible only after completing one or two semesters and undergoing an evaluation based on multiple criteria, including academic performance and Korean-language proficiency.
For E-7 work visas, priority will be given to international graduates of Korean universities. Foreign nationals coming directly from overseas will be required to complete job training and meet minimum Korean-language proficiency requirements.
The revised system will also include measures aimed at encouraging foreign workers to remain in regional areas. Spouses of metropolitan E-7 visa holders will be permitted to work in the same region.
More occupations will be eligible under the metropolitan E-7 visa.
The overhaul follows President Lee Jae Myung’s call at a Cabinet meeting in February for the government to assess whether the visa system should be maintained based on its impact on regional industries and local economies.
The Justice Ministry surveyed 600 stakeholders in six local governments from April 20 to May 11 as part of its evaluation. Respondents generally viewed the system as contributing to regional economic revitalization and helping ease population decline. They also said it helped address labor shortages without having a significant impact on jobs or wages for Korean workers.
However, the evaluation recommended an overhaul, citing limitations including a mismatch between demand from local industries and the supply of foreign talent, as well as a lack of incentives to encourage employment and long-term settlement.
Twelve skilled butchers from Mongolia pose for a photo upon their arrival on E-7-3 visas at Incheon International Airport on July 14.YONHAP
“Foreign talent is necessary to address labor shortages in regional industries, but we also need to consider the impact the influx of foreign nationals could have on jobs and wages for Koreans and on local communities,” Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho said.
“The overhaul is not simply about increasing the number of foreign workers. It is about refining the selection of talent needed by regional industries and responsibly connecting the process from studying and employment to family accompaniment, settlement and consumption in the regions,” he said.
The Justice Ministry said applications from local governments for the 2027-28 metropolitan visa program will be accepted from Aug. 24 through Nov. 10.
