Global Trade Alert

On 2 July 2012, the Government of the Republic of Korea eased the rules for foreign worker employment (with an amendment of the Act on Foreign Workers Employment). The amendment applies to all foreign workers whose employment period ends after 2 July 2012.
Previously, a foreign worker had to go back to his home country after the end of the employment period and was allowed to be re-hired in the Republic of Korea after six months, without guarantee of getting a job in the same workplace and with the obligation of passing (for the second time) a Korean language test and employment training. The amendment reduces the home stay period to three months. Furthermore, it allows foreign workers to work in the same workplace without the need of passing a (second) language test. Amendments also concern foreign workers' change of workplace. According to the Act on Foreign Employment, migrant workers cannot change their workplace more than once a year. The amendment specifies the following exceptions to this rule: 
- change of workplace due to the revocation of an employment permit issued to the employer;
- change of workplace due to violations of the required work conditions.