This file image shows immigrant workers arriving at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, in 2022. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 15 (Korea Bizwire) — In a bid to ease mounting labor shortages in its service industry, the South Korean government announced Thursday an expansion of permissible job roles for foreign workers under the Employment Permit System (E-9 visa), particularly in delivery services, restaurants, and the hospitality sector.
At the 47th Foreign Workforce Policy Committee meeting, chaired by Bang Ki-seon, Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, officials approved a set of revisions to improve operations and support under the pilot service-sector employment program.
Although the number of allowed service sectors and total foreign worker intake will remain unchanged, the government is expanding the scope of duties allowed within those sectors to better reflect real-world labor needs.
Under the changes, E-9 visa holders in the restaurant sector — previously limited to kitchen support — will now be permitted to perform front-of-house tasks such as serving customers. The revision acknowledges the operational reality of small eateries where kitchen and floor responsibilities often overlap.
Until now, foreign students (D-2 visa) and ethnic Koreans with overseas residency (F-4 visa) could work as servers, but demand continues to outstrip supply, prompting the policy shift for E-9 visa holders.
In the parcel delivery sector, foreign workers will be allowed to engage in sorting operations in addition to the previously permitted loading and unloading tasks, reflecting the blurred lines between duties in real-world logistics operations.
Gov’t Eases Work Restrictions for E-9 Visa Holders Amid Labor Shortage (Image supported by ChatGPT)
In the hospitality industry, the pilot program allowing foreign workers to engage in hotel and resort cleaning and kitchen support is currently underway in Seoul, Busan, Jeju, and Gangwon Province. It will gradually expand based on applications from local governments. Gyeongju has already submitted a request citing its role as host of the 2025 APEC summit.
The government also relaxed requirements for outsourcing firms contracted to clean hotels. Previously, eligibility required a one-to-one exclusive contract with a hotel. The updated rule allows participation by firms that have held service contracts with hotels for a certain minimum period.
To reduce labor mismatches and improve job placement accuracy, the government plans to strengthen coordination with employers to match foreign workers’ experience and job preferences with specific industries. It will also expand Korean language and basic job-skills training in collaboration with relevant associations before and after workers’ arrival in the country.
“Labor shortages remain the most pressing issue for small businesses and the service sector,” Bang said. “We will monitor the impact of these changes closely and continue to engage stakeholders to ensure that foreign labor support eases staffing challenges while maintaining a balance with domestic job opportunities.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
