South Korea’s Justice Ministry said it plans to revise visa policy to bring more skilled foreign technicians into shipbuilding, as shipyards continue to face labor shortages.
The plan followed a policy meeting in Ulsan, one of the country’s main shipbuilding centers, where officials met local governments, industry groups, labor organizations and immigration policy experts to discuss workforce pressure in the sector.
Participants broadly agreed that policy should place less emphasis on increasing the total number of foreign workers and more focus on attracting highly skilled technicians who can support the industry over the long term and help revive regional economies.
The ministry said it will adjust visa programs to reflect that direction, with greater emphasis on recruiting foreign workers with specialized technical skills.
Some participants also proposed lowering the allowed share of foreign employees under the E-7-3 visa, which covers skilled technical workers, from 30 percent to 20 percent of a company’s domestic workforce.
Officials said shipbuilders have worked to hire more Korean workers and improve conditions, but retention has remained difficult because shipyard jobs are physically demanding and carry higher risks.
The government said domestic employment will remain a priority given shipbuilding’s strategic role in the national economy, even as immigration policy is reviewed to ease labor shortages.
The meeting also reviewed Ulsan’s regional visa pilot, which gives local governments more flexibility to attract foreign workers matched to local demand. Some participants said it was too early to judge the program’s economic and social impact, noting that 133 workers had entered Ulsan under the scheme and that the trial period had been short.
The ministry said it will prepare a roadmap to assess the regional visa system and decide after a formal review whether to keep or revise the program.
Cha Yong-ho, head of immigration policy at the ministry, said the government will continue consultations with industry and regional stakeholders to develop practical policy measures for both Korean and foreign workers in shipbuilding.
