Page 25 - Demo

TheMinistryofJusticeispursuingtwokeyinitiativestohelpforeignadolescentsnavigatelifeinKorea:expandingitsinitiativeforanadditionalthreeyearstoupholdtheireducationalrightsandestablishingsmootherpathwaystoemploymentandlong-termsettlement.TheMinistryofJusticehasannouncedanewmeasuretosupportforeignhighschoolgraduateswhospentmostoftheirformativeyearsinKoreaandchosenottopursueauniversityeducation,helpingthemtransitionmoresmoothlyintoemploymentandlong-termsettlement.Theinitiativeallowsforeignadolescents,includingthosefromimmigrantbackgrounds,toeitherswitchtoanemploymentvisaorcontinueresidinginKoreawiththeirfamilymembers%u2014eveniftheychoosenottopursueauniversityeducation.TheMinistryalsodecidedtoextendtheexistinginitiativeforanadditionalthreeyears,untilMarch31,2028.ThisprogramaimstograntlegalvisastatustoforeignchildrenwhohaveresidedinKorealong-term,ensuringtheiraccesstoeducation.ThesetwoinitiativesaimtolaythefoundationforhelpingforeignadolescentsgrowwithasenseofidentityasmembersofKoreansociety.Theyarealsoexpectedtopromotesocialintegrationinawaythatresonateswiththepublic.A Brighter Future for Foreign Adolescents who Call Korea Home Creating Smoother Pathways to Employment and Settlement and Ensuring Educational Access Undertheexistingsystem,foreignadolescentswhoreachedadulthoodwererequiredtoeithercompleteabachelor%u2019sdegreeorhaveatleastfiveyearsofworkexperiencetoqualifyforanE-7(specialoccupation)visa.EveniftheyspentmostoftheirlivesinKoreaandbecameadultshere,theywerestillrequiredtoeitherpursueauniversityeducationorcompleteanacademiccourseunderaD-2(internationalstudents)visainordertoworkandsettleinthecountry.OnApril1,2025,theMinistryunveiledarevisedinitiativeallowingforeignadolescentswhowereraisedinKoreaandcompletedelementary,middle,andhighschoolinthecountrytocontinueresidinghere.What is the background of the initiative?%u2460Aforeignnationalaged18to24asofthedateofapplication%u2461AforeignnationalwhohasresidedinKoreaforatleast7yearsbeforetheageof18%u2462Aforeignnationalwhohascompletedelementary,middle,andhighschoolinKoreaApplicantswhomeetalloftheaboverequirementsareeligibletostayunderD-10(Job-Seeker)orE-7-Y(Employment)visas.Thosewhohavenotcompletedonlyoneofthethreerequirededucationlevels(elementary,middle,orhighschool)maystillbeeligibleforthesamevisasiftheysuccessfullycompleteLevel5oftheSocialIntegrationProgram.%u203bForeignnationalswhohaveresidedforatleastfouryearsindesignateddepopulationregionsorareasofconcernfordepopulationundertheD-10(Job-Seeker)orE-7-Y(Employment)visasareeligibletoapplyfortheF-2-R(Region-SpecificForeignTalent)visa,whichsupportslong-termsettlementinthoseregions.Who is eligible?TheinitiativewasfirstintroducedonApril19,2021,toexpandeducationalaccessforforeignchildrenattendingschoolinKoreawithoutlegalresidencystatus.Initially,theprogramtargetedchildrenwhohadlivedinKoreaformorethan15yearssincebirth,grantingthemeligibilityforlegalstatus.OnFebruary1,2022,theresidencyrequirementwaseasedtoincludethosewhohadlivedinKoreaformorethansixtosevenyears,significantlybroadeningtheprogram%u2019sreach.Asaresult,over3,000childrenhavebenefitedfromtheinitiative.OriginallysettoendonMarch31,2025,theMinistryreviewedchallengesencounteredduringimplementationandgatheredfeedbackfromthefield.Basedonthisassessment,itdecidedtoimproveandextendtheprogramforanadditionalthreeyears.What is the purpose of the initiative?%u2460Whenchildrenwhomeettheeligibilityrequirementsaregrantedresidencestatus,theirunderagesiblingswillalsobegrantedaG-1visa.%u2461Parentsofeligiblechildrenarenowrequiredtoparticipateinsocialintegrationeducation.Thisnewrequirementisintendedtoensurethatparentscontinuetoprovidecareandeducationalsupportfortheirchildren.%u2462ParentswhohavefailedtocarefororprotecttheirchildrenwhilelivinginKoreawillnotbeeligibleundertherevisedinitiative.What are the changes?Creating Smoother Pathways to Employment and Long-Term Settlement for Foreign Adolescents Raised in KoreaEnsuring Educational Access for Foreign Children Residing Long-term in Korea 25KIS+tory