The South Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor has stated that implementing Seoul City's proposal to hire foreign drivers for "Maul bus" (Town Bus)would be difficult under the current system.
On the 2nd, a Ministry official explained that regarding Seoul City's request to issue E-9 visas (Non-professional Employment) for the transportation sector to facilitate the hiring of foreign drivers, the Ministry plans to respond to the Office for Government Policy Coordination by stating that “it is unfeasible under the current system and requires long-term consideration.”
This response is effectively an opposition to the proposal, making it unlikely that the foreign driver recruitment plan will be realized in the near future.
According to Article 49 of the Passenger Transport Service Act, bus drivers are considered a specialized occupation that requires obtaining a large vehicle license, gaining one year of driving experience, and acquiring a bus driver qualification certificate.
Therefore, implementing the E-9 visa issuance proposed by Seoul City would require legislative amendments.
A Ministry official noted, “The E-9 visa system is designed for pre-hiring workers and bringing them to Korea, which would require recognizing driver’s licenses obtained abroad. However, due to differences in road systems and traffic regulations between countries, such an operation would be challenging.”
Additionally, concerns have been raised about foreign drivers’ communication and situational response skills, given the importance of interaction with passengers in bus driving.
In November, Seoul City officially proposed to the Office for Government Policy Coordination to include the "transportation industry" in the scope of E-9 visa eligibility.
Currently, E-9 visas are issued to foreign workers in non-professional sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and livestock farming. Seoul City is pursuing the foreign driver recruitment plan to address a labor shortage in the Maul bus sector.
On the other hand, there are voices suggesting that improving bus drivers’ working conditions should take priority over hiring foreign drivers.
The Seoul City Bus Drivers' Union has opposed the proposal, stating, “The main causes of the labor shortage in the Maul bus sector are low wages and excessive workloads.”
In response, Seoul City stated, “We will work closely with the Maul bus industry to improve drivers’ working conditions and secure manpower efficiently.”
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