Due to a decrease in the farming population and aging in Jeonbuk, South Korea, farms are increasingly in need of foreign agricultural workers to solve the shortage of labor. 

Despite the influx of foreign workers, the shortage of labor in rural areas remains a challenge to overcome.

As the problem of declining local population becomes more serious, the region-specialized visa was introduced to encourage the settlement of foreign talents in the area and secure the local residential and economic population in 2022.

The region-specialized visa is mainly focused on addressing the population decline in Jeonbuk urban areas, so it has limitations in responding to the depopulation issue in rural areas. 

We are going to discuss the utilization of the region-specialized visa to secure foreign workers in the agricultural sector.

This study suggested the Jeonbuk region-specialized agricultural visa that allows foreign workers who engage in farming activities in rural areas or foreign graduates for agricultural universities, located in Jeonbuk, to change their visa status to a residence visa after promising to reside in rural areas for 5 years.

They can work in the agricultural sector and invite their family members as seasonal workers.

The region-specialized agriculture visa is categorized into ‘the region-specialized agriculture visa for non-professional workers’ and ‘the region-specialized agriculture visa for skilled workers.’

The region-specialized agriculture visa for non-professional workers is designed for diligent e-9 visa holders who are employed in agricultural activities. 

The region-specialized agriculture for skilled agricultural workers is targeted to diligent e-7 visa holders who engage in skilled agricultural activities or foreign nationals who have graduated from agriculture-related departments at universities located in Jeonbuk. 

To ensure a stable and efficient implements of this visa, it is vital to establish a visa-specialized department, an visa-operating agency and operate a committee for the region-specialized agriculture visa.​