Outline for the Current Policy on Overseas Koreans

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Outline for the Current Policy on Overseas Koreans

The Ministry of Justice is currently implementing various immigration policies such as the Working Holiday Program, Expansion of Eligibility Criteria for Overseas Koreans, Relaxation of Permanent Residence Visa Requirements, and Provision of Technical Training Opportunities in Korea.

1. C-3 Short-Term General

○ Beginning on Tuesday, April 1st, 2014, the Korean government issues a multiple entry visa to any overseas Korean under age 60 who would like to visit Korea. The visa is valid for 3 years, and guarantees a free access to Korea without immigration restraints.

※ Although free arrival/departure is possible, getting engaged in employment activities is not allowed.

2. H-2 Working Holiday Visa Policy

□ Chinese-Koreans and Ethnic-Koreans living in the former Soviet Union region are allowed to travel freely to the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as Korea). Also, the range of employment activities in which they are allowed to engage has been expanded.

○ A multiple-entry H-2 visa, which is valid for 3 years, will be issued to Overseas Koreans from China and the former Soviet Union region if he/she is 25 years of age or older. These Overseas Koreans will be allowed to freely enter and exit Korea for the maximum of 4 years and 10 months within the expiry date of their visas.

○ If, in any case, they want to take up employment in Korea, they can get a job in simple labor services, after completing vacational education and procedure for seeking employment, designated by the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act.

□ Different procedures for the visa issuance will be applied to those who have a relative(s) in Korea and those who do not.

○ Those with visa privileges, such as an Overseas Korean who has a relative(s) in Korea or a parent of an Overseas Korean studying in Korea, are allowed to enter Korea upon the invitations from a Korean national as long as the inviter has not exceeded the number of people he/she is allowed to invite.

○ Considering the current labor market condition in Korea, an Overseas Korean without a local family tie in Korea will have to enter through an electronic draw in order to lawfully enter the country.

□ An employment procedure will be simplified.

○ There are 38 types of simple labor jobs which Overseas Koreans on the working visit visa are allowed to find employment. (Please see enclosed document 1)

- A job seeker can take up a job through job centers or on his/her own after completing the vocational education and job applications. Also, he/she can just change his/her work place by simply reporting to a local immigration (branch) office

 

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3. Policy on granting F-4 Overseas Korean status to ethnic Koreans living in China and the former Soviet Union Regions

□ Eligibility criteria for Overseas Koreans status has been expanded in order to eliminate discrimination among Overseas Koreans by country of origin and to enlarge cultural exchanges between them and their homeland.

○ Eligibility also has been expanded to highly-skilled Overseas Koreans, such as a university graduate, the CEO of a corporation, a certified technician and others, from China and the former Soviet Union region who have a very low chance of finding a job in simple labor services.

○ In coordination with the Work Visitation program, those who have worked in a specific industry, such as manufacturing, that does not affect domestic job market, will be allowed to change their status to F-4 Overseas Korean.

4. Policy on Granting F-5 Permanent Resident Status to Overseas Korean

□ The amendment is geared to revitalize granting permanent residence status by reforming the current permanent residence policy in order to strengthen the relation between Overseas Koreans and their homeland as well as to improve the relation between the countries where Overseas Koreans live and Korea.

○ Permanent resident status will be given to Overseas Koreans on the H-2 visa who have been working in manufacturing, agriculture, and fishery for a long period of time and satisfy certain requirements.

○ A permanent resident status, which permits family invitation, will be granted to those who have qualifications to acquire Korean nationality.

5. Technical Training for Overseas Koreans

□ Those who applied for technical training will enter Korea through an online draw at the HiKorea website, and those who win the draw will be given opportunities to take technical training without any charge.

○ The opportunities are given to only those who want to take technical training for 'jobs in Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Fishery' which are designated by the Overseas Koreans Vocational Education Support Group, at a private technical training academy.

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