Pilot program to bring in 300 immigrant workers annually for power line construction

The government will bring in 300 immigrant workers annually through a pilot visa program to address workforce shortages in power transmission line construction, officials said Monday.

Under the two-year trial program, the government will issue E-7 work visas to 300 foreign workers annually, who will be employed in the country's power line construction industry, the justice and industry ministries said.

The industry is struggling to hire new workers due to its dangerous and demanding work environments, despite the rising electricity demand driven by the growth of semiconductor clusters and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

In addition to the visa program, the electricity industry plans to implement incentive programs to encourage local electricity-related firms to nurture domestic workers, according to the officials.

"This visa system upgrade is expected to contribute to the supply of carbon-free energy to high-tech industries by resolving critical workforce shortages in the electricity infrastructure," Industry Ministry Ahn Duk-geun said. (Yonhap)