South Korea will accept seasonal workers from Uzbekistan on E-8 visas, the Migration Agency's press service said. A delegation led by the Agency Director Bekhzod Musayev held talks on this matter with Park Wan-soo, Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do Province.

The parties agreed on South Korea hiring labour from Tashkent province on E-8 visas for seasonal agricultural jobs in Hapcheon and Cheonglyang counties and the city of Miryang for eight months (5+3) and signed a relevant agreement.

Earlier, during negotiations between the Foreign Ministry of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Justice of the Korea Republic, an agreement was reached to re-adding of Uzbek citizens into the E-8 seasonal employment program.

According to the Korean regulations, such agreements must clearly define the provinces sending and receiving the labor force. During the visit of the Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do Province to the Tashkent province from September 23-25, a memorandum of friendship was signed between the two provinces.

The agreement signed with the Migration Agency stipulates that residents of the Tashkent province will be selected for seasonal work in the specified trades.

Starting in 2026, if the discipline and performance of Uzbek workers is positively assessed, cooperation on labor migration may be expanded to other provinces of Uzbekistan.

"Uzbeks are required to strictly adhere to the terms of their employment contracts and Korean lawa, as well as to return to their homeland upon completion of their contracts. This is a key factor that could either expand or limit employment opportunities for other compatriots in the future," the Migration Agency emphasized.

The parties agreed to accept applications from South Korean employers for vacancies and select candidates.

In 2021, 420 Uzbeks worked in Korea on E-8 visas as part of a pilot project. After some of the workers failed to return home at the end of their five-month contracts, the program was suspended by the Korean authorities.