South Korea Sees Drop In Number of Illegal Immigrants
It appears the illegal immigration reform South Korea has implemented has had some success in reducing the number of illegal immigrants:
One out of 10 foreigners living in South Korea are illegal aliens, government data showed Tuesday.
According to the data released by the Ministry of Justice, 211,320, or 10.5 percent of the total number of foreigners living here as of end-January, are staying without a valid visa.
The number is up 1.1 percent from what was tallied the previous month, which stood at 208,971, it said.
The total shot up to 223,464 in 2007 and dropped to 177,955 in 2009. Since 2014, the number has hovered around 200,000.
The percentage of illegal aliens, meanwhile, has been declining from 12.3 percent in 2012 to 11.3 percent in 2015 and 10.2 percent in 2016 with the overall rise in the number of foreigners living here. [Korea Times]
The South Korean government implemented a program where if illegal immigrants self deported, after six months they could apply for a work visa for the prior job they were working. It seems a program like this could be something that could work in the United States as well.
This is kind of misleading though. What the Korean government did was to allow the illegals to leave voluntarily, in return for allowing the illegals to reapply for a Visa, and then to return legally without any penalties. This might cut down on the illegals short term, but it won’t cut down the illegals in the long term.
@Tyson, I don’t think it is misleading. The illegals had to self deport and then apply to reenter on a F-4 visas:
Instead of allowing rampant illegal immigration South Korea developed an orderly process to all the people to come in and work the “3D jobs” that Korea has a hard time finding workers to do.
I think something like this would be popular in the US as well. Offer illegals a chance to receive a work permit if they self deport. I believe to come back in employers should pay them minimum wage and then tax them. I have no issues with people coming into the country to work if they are paid minimum wage and are taxed just like every other American.
GIKorea, you don’t understand my point. After you’ve rewarded them with visa’s and the voluntary deportation period is over, what’s going to happen to the next batch of illegals? They will need to keep running this program forever. Isn’t this same as saying, come to Korea and become illegal here, but don’t worry you can later leave the country and reenter the country with valid visa’s?
Good day i am illegally for 7yrs. Last march i got married w/ my korean boy friend i will do self departures soon but me and my husband worry how long it will take to get f6 visa? My husband cannot go with me because he is taking dialysis 3 times a week.. just worry if i stay long in my country and he live alone..
I am a Nigerian with illigal visa, and wife as a Nigerian too has d2 visa also my dauther with f3 visa. My question here is can i change to my wife visa, if no what else can i do to be free from illigal in South Korea
I M 2year overstay in korea before 9year now I M apply for work permit?
My passport stamp 68-1
Hi I want to ask how to report a company hiring illegal workers and bully them infront of me. I was stayed in the guesthouse. Can someone help me. Because the owner said police will not come in to her gustehouse and she can pay if police come. Can someone hepl.me. i want to do a report .
Keep in mind, if you call the police, you simply get some illegal workers arrested and deported.
Instead of protecting them, you will be hurting them.
They are probably willing to accept some bullying for the level of pay they are receiving.
how too report the my friend stay over visa .illegal in ulsan south korea