1st foreign slaughterhouse workers enter Korea under new visa program

Korea admitted its first group of foreign slaughterhouse workers, as part of its efforts to address chronic labor shortages and an aging workforce in the sector.

The Ministry of Justice announced Tuesday that 12 foreign workers entered Korea under the E-7-3 skilled worker visa designated for slaughterhouse technicians.

This is the first time noncitizens have been deployed in that industry through a formal visa channel.

Officials said the policy shift is expected to help ease labor shortages while contributing to the stable supply of livestock products and helping to contain food prices.

For many years, slaughterhouses have struggled to attract young Korean workers due to demanding physical labor, harsh working conditions and negative social perceptions of the job.

As the workforce in the sector aged rapidly amid the nation’s persistently low birthrate, business owners have called for the introduction of skilled foreign labor in recent years.

In response, government officials held consultations through the Visa and Residence Policy Council, which decided in September 2025 to introduce a