Foreign Seasonal Workers to Complete Early Adaptation Training and Foreigner Registration in One Stop

- Ministry of Justice links structured Early Adaptation Program training with administrative procedures including foreigner registration

The Ministry of Justice, led by Minister Jung Sung-ho, said it will reorganize the seasonal-worker training previously conducted separately by local governments into a structured and standardized “Early Adaptation Program for Seasonal Workers.” Beginning July 20, 2026, it will fully implement an administrative service that allows workers to complete foreigner registration at the same site where the program is delivered.

Seasonal-worker training has not been delivered systematically in rural and fishing communities because of a shortage of professional foreign-language instructors. Seasonal workers have also faced administrative difficulties because they had to travel in person to distant immigration offices to complete foreigner registration. During busy farming and fishing seasons, this placed a substantial burden of time and cost on both farming and fishing households and seasonal workers.

Reflecting feedback from the field, the Korea Immigration Service arranged for professional instructors to provide in-person education in 18 languages on basic law, human-rights protection, how to report rights violations, the Immigration Act and the Labor Standards Act. Administrative procedures including foreigner registration can also be completed at the training site in one stop.

The ministry expects the measure to help foreign seasonal workers adapt early to rural and fishing workplaces without complicated administrative steps or waiting procedures such as visits to immigration offices. It also expects employers to be able to use seasonal workers more steadily without labor gaps.

Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho said, “We expect the implementation of this Early Adaptation Program for Seasonal Workers to help ease the difficulties seasonal workers face soon after entering Korea and prevent human-rights violations and safety incidents in rural and fishing workplaces.” He added, “The Ministry of Justice will continue to strengthen the operation of the Seasonal Worker Program and steadily reinforce the protection of immigrants' human rights and interests.”