In response to the crisis facing local universities due to low birth rates and a declining school-age population, there is a pressing call to shift international student policies from mere recruitment to a comprehensive strategy for nurturing and settling talent.
The Korean Council of Private University Presidents (KCPUP) and the Immigration Policy Association jointly held a seminar on strengthening the connection between the recruitment, employment, and settlement of international students on August 21 at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.
During the seminar, university presidents highlighted the flaws in the current international student system, which has seen the number of international students in South Korea exceed 300,000, and exposed the fierce competition for survival among local universities. They unanimously called for comprehensive reforms at the government level.
The Korean Council of Private University Presidents (KCPUP) and the Immigration Policy Association jointly held a seminar on strengthening the connection between the recruitment, employment, and settlement of international students on August 21 at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.
During the seminar, university presidents highlighted the flaws in the current international student system, which has seen the number of international students in South Korea exceed 300,000, and exposed the fierce competition for survival among local universities. They unanimously called for comprehensive reforms at the government level.
Major Developed Countries Integrate Study, Employment, and Settlement into a Unified Talent Strategy
In his opening remarks, Lim Dong-jin, president of the Immigration Policy Association, emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in viewing international students as strategic talents for future industries, rather than just recipients of educational services.
"Countries like Australia, Canada, Germany, and Japan regard international students as key players in sectors such as AI and semiconductors," Lim said. He advocated for establishing a seamless immigration pathway that connects study, work-integrated learning, employment, and settlement. He stressed the urgency for South Korea to develop a governance model that involves central and local governments, universities, and businesses, similar to Australia’s skilled migration model and Canada’s federal-provincial cooperation model.
"Countries like Australia, Canada, Germany, and Japan regard international students as key players in sectors such as AI and semiconductors," Lim said. He advocated for establishing a seamless immigration pathway that connects study, work-integrated learning, employment, and settlement. He stressed the urgency for South Korea to develop a governance model that involves central and local governments, universities, and businesses, similar to Australia’s skilled migration model and Canada’s federal-provincial cooperation model.
Focus Must Shift from Quantity to Quality in International Student Policies
Yoon Seung-yong, vice president of KCPUP and chair of the special committee on attracting, employing, and settling international students, expressed the urgent need for a change in focus.
"The previous question was about how many students we could attract; now it must be about how we can connect education with employment and settlement," Yoon stated. He pointed out that private universities account for about 90% of all international students but face discrimination in support. He proposed several measures, including extending the job-seeking visa (D-10) period, introducing a fast track for permanent residency in STEM and regionally specialized industries, improving indicators for illegal stay rates, and establishing a control tower for international students led by the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister.
"The previous question was about how many students we could attract; now it must be about how we can connect education with employment and settlement," Yoon stated. He pointed out that private universities account for about 90% of all international students but face discrimination in support. He proposed several measures, including extending the job-seeking visa (D-10) period, introducing a fast track for permanent residency in STEM and regionally specialized industries, improving indicators for illegal stay rates, and establishing a control tower for international students led by the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister.
Competition for International Students, Opaque Visa Processes, and Warnings for the AI Era
The subsequent discussions revealed the challenges and systemic limitations faced by universities.
Moon Sung-je, president of Sun Moon University, criticized the current certification system for internationalization, which requires a less than 1% undocumented rate, leading to excessive spending and effort by local universities. He noted, "Some universities even resort to secretly bringing in students from other institutions at night to persuade them to transfer, creating a vicious cycle where losing students leads to a higher undocumented rate and loss of certification."
He also highlighted the need for reflection on how some universities operate with minimal classes while allowing students to work part-time, turning the Study Korea 300K program into a mere entry point for immigration.
Lee Jeong-ki, president of Kosin University, raised concerns about the opaque visa review process by the Ministry of Justice and regional disparities. He lamented, "Even after months of interviews and selecting top students, the visa approval rates at local immigration offices are absurdly low, with rejection reasons often vague, leaving universities with no path for improvement." He suggested standardizing visa review criteria by region and proposed a decentralized visa system where universities handle initial administrative checks while the Ministry of Justice focuses on high-risk cases.
Kang Hee-seong, president of Howon University, warned against the concentration of students in the capital region and called for responses to changes in the future industrial environment. He stated, "The fundamental reason why international students from local universities leave for the capital region or national universities after graduation is the lack of jobs and cultural opportunities for young people. Policies that simply provide jobs without considering local living conditions and cultural elements will not work."
He added, "With the introduction of AI and humanoid robots, a significant portion of the workforce will be replaced, and the current talk of a '300,000 to 400,000 international student era' could peak and end in just 2-3 years. Immediate measures, such as improving tuition benefits that only apply to national universities and establishing regional visa privileges for international students, are urgently needed."
The voices of international students were also heard. A student enrolled in the multicultural master's program at Ewha Womans University expressed, "International students in the humanities and social sciences are essential talents for supporting multicultural families and migrants, yet it takes months to obtain research assistant or part-time work permits, often requiring submission of the director's ID. The barriers are too high, and I urge that the voices of international students be reflected in policy-making."
Moon Sung-je, president of Sun Moon University, criticized the current certification system for internationalization, which requires a less than 1% undocumented rate, leading to excessive spending and effort by local universities. He noted, "Some universities even resort to secretly bringing in students from other institutions at night to persuade them to transfer, creating a vicious cycle where losing students leads to a higher undocumented rate and loss of certification."
He also highlighted the need for reflection on how some universities operate with minimal classes while allowing students to work part-time, turning the Study Korea 300K program into a mere entry point for immigration.
Lee Jeong-ki, president of Kosin University, raised concerns about the opaque visa review process by the Ministry of Justice and regional disparities. He lamented, "Even after months of interviews and selecting top students, the visa approval rates at local immigration offices are absurdly low, with rejection reasons often vague, leaving universities with no path for improvement." He suggested standardizing visa review criteria by region and proposed a decentralized visa system where universities handle initial administrative checks while the Ministry of Justice focuses on high-risk cases.
Kang Hee-seong, president of Howon University, warned against the concentration of students in the capital region and called for responses to changes in the future industrial environment. He stated, "The fundamental reason why international students from local universities leave for the capital region or national universities after graduation is the lack of jobs and cultural opportunities for young people. Policies that simply provide jobs without considering local living conditions and cultural elements will not work."
He added, "With the introduction of AI and humanoid robots, a significant portion of the workforce will be replaced, and the current talk of a '300,000 to 400,000 international student era' could peak and end in just 2-3 years. Immediate measures, such as improving tuition benefits that only apply to national universities and establishing regional visa privileges for international students, are urgently needed."
The voices of international students were also heard. A student enrolled in the multicultural master's program at Ewha Womans University expressed, "International students in the humanities and social sciences are essential talents for supporting multicultural families and migrants, yet it takes months to obtain research assistant or part-time work permits, often requiring submission of the director's ID. The barriers are too high, and I urge that the voices of international students be reflected in policy-making."
Call for a Major Shift in Perception and Administration; Data-Driven Policy Initiatives Expected
In response to these criticisms, government officials promised proactive reforms and a shift in perception.
Choi Ha-young, director of the Ministry of Education's Internationalization Division, stated, "Beyond achieving the goal of attracting 300,000 students, we are preparing for a qualitative shift in how we nurture and settle international students. We will enhance practical math skills and raise the standards for language proficiency, while strictly managing universities that engage in indiscriminate recruitment or poor academic operations, such as holding classes only once a week." He also mentioned plans to announce a 'Foreign Student Talent Innovation Plan' soon, aimed at linking with regional strategic industries and enhancing the AI-based comprehensive study abroad system.
Lee Hyang-sook, from the Ministry of Justice's Immigration Management Division, acknowledged the criticisms faced by the ministry during such discussions but emphasized that there is a concerted effort within the ministry to change perceptions and administration. She noted, "Despite the shortage of visa review personnel, we are working on building an AI-integrated visa consultation system and preparing to distribute a 'visa guide.' Additionally, data from five years of big data analysis shows that more than half of graduates find employment in the regions where their universities are located, which is encouraging. We will announce policies tailored to regional and field demands, including the establishment of a regional visa and expansion of E-7 employment categories, by September."
Choi Ha-young, director of the Ministry of Education's Internationalization Division, stated, "Beyond achieving the goal of attracting 300,000 students, we are preparing for a qualitative shift in how we nurture and settle international students. We will enhance practical math skills and raise the standards for language proficiency, while strictly managing universities that engage in indiscriminate recruitment or poor academic operations, such as holding classes only once a week." He also mentioned plans to announce a 'Foreign Student Talent Innovation Plan' soon, aimed at linking with regional strategic industries and enhancing the AI-based comprehensive study abroad system.
Lee Hyang-sook, from the Ministry of Justice's Immigration Management Division, acknowledged the criticisms faced by the ministry during such discussions but emphasized that there is a concerted effort within the ministry to change perceptions and administration. She noted, "Despite the shortage of visa review personnel, we are working on building an AI-integrated visa consultation system and preparing to distribute a 'visa guide.' Additionally, data from five years of big data analysis shows that more than half of graduates find employment in the regions where their universities are located, which is encouraging. We will announce policies tailored to regional and field demands, including the establishment of a regional visa and expansion of E-7 employment categories, by September."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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