South Korea Hiring Trends For International Job Seekers

The temptation to work in the economic giant of South Korea, where such world giants as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai have their offices, is more than ever before. But, the employment market of foreigners is lively, competitive and strictly controlled by immigration policies.

Increased demand on the services of digital transformation (DX) specialists

The inexorable pace of Digital Transformation (DX) and a national orientation towards futuristic possibilities in South Korea have left a major imbalance in the labor market a drastic shortage of high-tech skills among professionals. This is the only biggest opportunity that can present itself to international job seekers.

Trending positions in technology and innovation

We are in the strongest hiring trend in areas that are associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The firms are on the hunt of international specialists possessing Specialized Knowledge in:

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Expert.
IT/Software developer (particularly in Fintech/Biotech)
Big Data Analyst / Data Science.
Cybersecurity Analyst
Semiconductor Engineering (A national priority sector)
Robotics and Automation

Data Insight (NLP-Driven): The manufacturing jobs to be provided to entry-level professionals are decreasing, but IT specialists will have higher demand, and the decrease will not be relevant to other sectors in most cases (Sources: Statistics Korea data on the changes in employment in the sectors).

South Korea Hiring Trends For International Job Seekers

Biotech and Health A Silver Tsunami of Opportunity

The Healthcare and Welfare services and Medical Professionals are on a skyrocket due to the presence of one of the fastest-aging populations in the world. At the same time, the South Korean economy is also putting a lot of investment in its Biotech and pharmaceutical sectors which are in the world class.

Biotech / Medical Researcher: Huge prospects in R&D because of huge corporate and government subsidies.
Medical Professionals: Surgeons, Nurses, and Doctors are in constant demand especially the specialist ones.
Health and Social Welfare Services: Roles to meet the needs of an aging society.

Being having a Master Degree or PhD in any of the life sciences automatically places you in the category of Global Talent target.

The Non-Negotiable Skill: Korean Language Proficiency (TOPIK)

Although in most cases a company which is foreign-invested is providing jobs that demand strong English or other Bilingual ability (in particular in International Marketing and Overseas Sales), a certain degree of Korean Language Proficiency (TOPIK) is becoming a necessary Requirement Skill in most of the professional white-collar jobs.

Corporate Management: This demands a profound Knowledge of the Korean Work Culture and the Hierarchy- which cannot be achieved without fluent knowledge of the Korean language.
Translator / Interpreter (Korean-English): This position is always demanded in all industries.
Career Growth: Although your first job may not need any knowledge of Korean, you will soon be fighting to stagnate without it since most of the top leadership communications are in Korean.
Invest in the TOPIK exam. It is a strong indicator of your patriotism to the nation and it greatly enhances the rate at which you get employed.

Shoe-String Job Search Strategy

International job seekers need to employ a multi-pronged strategy in order to successfully land the position:

Start Local, Think Global: Also, apply Foreigner-Friendly Job Sites such as Peoplenjob, KOWORK, and Dev-Korea and international scope of LinkedIn Jobs.
Go with Korean Portals: When you have at least some Korean proficiency, visit JobKorea, Saramin and Wanted.
Take the advantage of Government Support: The KLiK (Government-sponsored foreign job seekers agency) and Seoul Global Center provide job matching and counseling services.

FAQs

What does it take to have a professional job (E-7 Visa)?

The qualifications required are normally a Bachelor’s Degree and at least one year of Relevant Work Experience in your field of specialization. There may be exceptions in the case of the graduates of a Korean university.

Do foreigners still have jobs in the manufacturing?

Yes, however, non-professional employment is governed mainly by the Employment Permit System (EPS) that is normally applied to less skilled workers. The E-7-4 Skilled Worker Point System tends to be used to recruit high-skilled technical positions in the manufacturing sector.

Can you obtain the job without speaking Korean?

Yes, mostly in employment of international firms, English Language Teaching, or very technical roles (such as research) where you are knowledgeable. Nonetheless, you cannot advance in terms of career without proficiency in the Korean language.

What is the Korean Work Culture?

It is largely formal and hierarchical and highly emphasizes on seniority, teamwork and commitment. Be ready to work long hours and socializing with groups (called hoeshik).

What is a “good” salary in Seoul?

A single person in Seoul can be said to have a comfortable salary of between 3.5M -4.5M KRW per month (about 42M -54M per year), which will allow them to afford the high Cost of Living and save some money.

Final Thought

The employment sector in South Korea is changing, which has formed a preference of specialized and highly skilled international employees especially in the fields of IT/Software Developer and Biotech. Whether or not you are successful is not only based on your professional skills, but on your skills of navigating the visa system, showing Intercultural Communication competence, and, more and more, speaking the Korean language. By concentrating on these major trends, you will be making a move to work in South Korea and it will no longer be a dream but a clear, set down plan.

Disclaimer

The employment details are provided in the educational and informational use only. It is important to ensure that the information on the official employer or government site (e.g. the Immigration Contact Center) is verified prior to applying or making any critical career choice.