A town bus is parked at a stop in Seoul in this December 2023 photo. A proposal from the Seoul Metropolitan Government is being reviewed by the central government to expand the E-9 visa eligibility to hire foreigners as town bus drivers. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Korea is stepping up efforts to attract more foreign workers across a wider range of sectors as the government aims to increase the proportion of non-Koreans in the country's workforce in response to growing labor shortages, according to government officials, Monday.

The latest sector under government review is the bus industry. The Ministry of Employment and Labor said it is evaluating a proposal from the Seoul Metropolitan Government to expand E-9 visa eligibility to allow hiring foreign workers to drive certain types of buses operating in the capital.

A chronic shortage of bus drivers prompted the city government to submit the proposal last month, according to a senior official in its immigration policy department.

"It is just one of many sectors that need more foreign workers amid a scarcity of labor. Over many months, we have asked the central government to expand work permits," the official told The Korea Times. "We are also seeking cooperation in other service industries including elderly care."

Under consideration are called "maeul" buses, which translates directly to village buses. Officially known as "town buses," these vehicles operate on short routes, connecting people to major bus stops and subway stations. For many drivers, working as a maeul bus driver is seen as a stepping stone to employment at larger, better-paying bus companies, which contributes to the particularly acute driver shortage faced by town bus operators.

The proposal comes as the city government seeks to expand a program of importing Filipino caregivers as a national initiative after the end of a six-month pilot period in February 2025. A director of that program told The Korea Times that her team is currently gathering feedback from parents who have used the service, as city officials plan to increase the number of foreign nannies from the current 100 to 1,200.

For the caregiver program, the government is also considering expanding the number of partner countries. Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are among those under review.

In its latest proposal, the city government requested the ministry to add town bus driving to the list of sectors eligible for E-9 (nonprofessional employment) visas. Currently, the visa program covers sectors such as manufacturing, fishing, farming, and a limited number of service industries. The city government also urged the ministry to extend the work period for E-9 visa holders from the current three years to five years.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks at the Seoul Metropolitan Council in central Seoul, Monday. Newsis

The city government's move is in line with the policy direction of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it would seek to expand E-7-3 visas to hire foreign workers for positions that require high-level skills, such as specialists handling concrete or steel bars.

Currently, foreign workers are allowed to perform unskilled tasks in the construction sector, such as cleaning or carrying building materials.

Shunned by young Koreans as difficult work, the construction industry has struggled to fill the labor gap left by retiring workers in recent years. According to a report published on Sept. 2 by the Construction Workers Mutual Aid Association, the average age of its workers was 51.8.

During an event on Aug. 12 marking the 20th anniversary of the Employment Permit System, a government initiative aimed at addressing labor shortages in specific industries by allowing foreign workers from designated countries to work in Korea, the Ministry of Labor pledged to continue to expand it as part of its solution to address a shortage of workers.