When farmhands are short in rural areas during sowing and harvest season, foreign seasonal workers who come to Korea to work and then return to their home countries will be brought in at 109,100 next year.
The Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on the 24th that 109,100 foreign seasonal workers were allocated for next year. That is up 14.1% from this year's allocation of 95,596.
Next year's allocation consists of 94,100 seasonal workers to be employed by more than 28,000 farms and fisheries nationwide, and a flexible reserve of 15,000 to respond to public seasonal work, pilot projects, and urgent labor demand. Public seasonal work is a program in which agricultural and fisheries cooperatives provide labor to farms and fishers on a daily basis.
By the end of November this year, 80,617 foreign seasonal workers had entered the country and were assigned to 142 local governments to work. That is 84.3% of the allocated number. Of these, 395 people (0.5%) left without returning to their home countries. The rate of departure decreased from last year (1.6%).
The government said it expects the expanded allocation of foreign seasonal workers to greatly help resolve labor shortages in rural and fishing communities. It also said it will work to ensure safe working conditions for seasonal workers and to promote their rights and protect human rights.