The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy said on Friday that it will introduce a new visa program for foreigners in high-tech industries and also streamline the overall process for obtaining work permits.
"Unlike other countries such as Japan and Singapore, which are keen to attract global talent, Korea lags behind by focusing primarily on nurturing domestic talent," the ministry said. "We aim to attract 1,000 skilled professionals by 2030 under the new program."
Those expected to benefit from the program include engineers and scientists with master's degrees or higher from prestigious universities, as well as professionals with extensive experience and expertise in artificial intelligence and semiconductors.
After a one-year stay in Korea, qualified individuals can switch to an F-2 long-term visa, allowing them to change jobs instead of adhering to the current three-year requirement.
The government will also ease visa regulations and reduce processing time from the current two months to just two weeks.
