11,000 Kazakhstanis are working illegally in South Korea - they must leave the country

Tengrinews.kz – Around 11,000 citizens of Kazakhstan are currently in South Korea illegally. They are being advised to leave the country voluntarily to avoid deportation and an entry ban, said First Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection Askarbek Yertayev.

Details

Out of 15,000 Kazakh citizens living in South Korea, about 11,000 are working illegally, Yertayev said.

So far, Kazakhstan and South Korea have not reached an agreement that would allow for the legalization of employment.

“The agreement with South Korea is still under consideration. We have been negotiating for two years, but there was a pause due to the political situation in South Korea. We will continue the talks until the end of this autumn. Out of the 15,000 Kazakh citizens residing there, 11,000 are working illegally. Measures must definitely be taken,” he stated.

According to the official, the Korean side has demanded that Kazakhstan take steps regarding its citizens residing in the country illegally.

Kazakh citizens urged to leave South Korea

Why must they leave? The Ministry of Labor explains:

“Citizens residing illegally are violating migration laws. This carries consequences from the Korean authorities — including a ban on re-entry. It’s better to comply with migration regulations. If a person is working illegally, our recommendation is to leave South Korea and, under a bilateral agreement, return for legal employment,” Yertayev explained.

How many Kazakh citizens work abroad

A total of 126,000 Kazakh citizens are currently working abroad:

• 102,000 in Russia,
• 15,000 in South Korea,
• around 2,000 in the United Kingdom and EU countries.

Last year, Kazakhstan promised to secure legal employment opportunities in South Korea. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection previously explained why this has not yet been legally formalized and what steps are needed to implement it.

Now, Askarbek Yertayev assures that negotiations are expected to conclude by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, Senators have approved a law allowing Kazakh citizens to work legally in Qatar, with paid travel, housing, and flights provided by employers.