A large majority of South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employing foreign workers under the country’s Employment Permit System expressed satisfaction . (Image created by AI/ ChatGPT)
SEOUL, April 16, (Korea Bizwire) — A large majority of South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employing foreign workers under the country’s Employment Permit System expressed satisfaction with the current framework, despite persistent concerns about language barriers and bureaucratic complexity, a new survey shows.
According to the Korea Federation of SMEs, 86.8 percent of 1,177 businesses surveyed between January and March 2025 reported being satisfied with the existing employment permit program. The system, which allows designated SMEs to legally hire foreign labor, has become a critical channel for addressing manpower shortages in low-population industries.
However, respondents also highlighted areas for improvement. Among 326 companies that cited dissatisfaction, 31.6 percent pointed to complex application procedures, 22.1 percent to prolonged waiting periods between application and arrival, and 12.3 percent to the current rules governing workplace transfers.
Many employers called for stricter regulations on early-stage job transfers by foreign workers, arguing that abrupt changes soon after arrival disrupt operations and create costly labor gaps. Suggestions included setting a minimum mandatory work period before allowing job changes.
Separately, 79.1 percent of 1,165 SMEs expressed overall satisfaction with their foreign workers. Yet challenges remain: 61.7 percent of 587 firms cited poor Korean language skills as the most pressing concern, followed by low productivity and poor work discipline (18.4 percent), and excessive requests for job transfers (12.9 percent).
“To boost operational efficiency and productivity in the SME sector, institutional improvements are needed to encourage the recruitment of foreign workers with strong Korean proficiency and sound work ethic,” the federation said in a statement.
Applications for the second round of foreign worker permits in 2025 will be accepted from April 21 to 29.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
