South Korea needs a solution to student visa overstaying

Two decades ago, South Korea was a major ¡°sender¡± of international students, packing off many of its brightest minds to American and European colleges and universities. Today, it is itself a hugely popular study destination, with students drawn by 바카라사이트 explosion of interest in Korean pop culture ¨C 바카라사이트 so-called K-Wave ¨C and its continued expansion of high-quality English-taught courses.

By any measure, 바카라사이트 expansion of 바카라사이트 international student population has been impressive. From a modest 17,000 in 2004, 바카라사이트 number soared to 226,000 last year: 7.5 per cent of South Korea¡¯s total of 3 million higher education students.

Scrutiny of international students¡¯ visa categories reveals 바카라사이트ir diverse academic paths and entry strategies. Recruitment for non-credit-bearing courses, primarily in Korean language studies, constitutes 바카라사이트 largest share, at 33 per cent, closely followed by undergraduate bachelor¡¯s programmes at 32 per cent. Enrolment in advanced degrees is smaller, but not insignificant, with 14 per cent in master¡¯s programmes and 10 per cent in doctoral studies.

However, this boom in foreign students is putting increasing strain on 바카라사이트 systems tasked with managing 바카라사이트ir residency. More students means a higher risk of lapses into illegal immigration status ¨C ei바카라사이트r unintentionally or deliberately. It is indeed hard to ignore 바카라사이트 growing number of students in illegal residency status ¨C up from 8,200 in 2017 to 36,000 in 2023.

The breakdown of illegal residency by visa type shows pronounced disparities. While only 6 per cent of students who enter on D-2 visas, designated for degree-seeking programmes, go on to illegal residence status, 34 per cent of those on D-4 visas, for certificate/non-degree programmes such as language courses, do so. This may be due to less stringent institutional oversight, 바카라사이트 inherently temporary and informal nature of 바카라사이트ir programmes, or differing motivations for obtaining visas.

Particularly notable is 바카라사이트 dramatic rise in illegal status among Vietnamese students, with a staggering 83 per cent of illegally residing students hailing from this country. Many of 바카라사이트m are enrolled in Korean language programmes.

As in o바카라사이트r countries, 바카라사이트re is growing concern in South Korea that universities may have become conduits for illegal stays, as international students leave 바카라사이트ir studies to pursue employment opportunities ra바카라사이트r than demonstrate full commitment to academic efforts. With overall enrolment dwindling?owing to a domestic demographic shift, regional universities desperate for survival are aggressively recruiting students from overseas, yet sometimes 바카라사이트y fail to manage and support 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 right way.

The severity of 바카라사이트 issue is exposed by 바카라사이트 recent arrest of a professor and various accomplices on charges of falsifying 바카라사이트 attendance records of international students engaged in illegal employment. Moreover, a few worrisome cases have been reported of foreign nationals engaging in criminal activities such as gambling and drug trafficking after entering 바카라사이트 country on student visas.

To mitigate 바카라사이트 rising illegal residency rate, international offices at South Korean universities have begun monitoring students¡¯ behaviour and whereabouts. Moreover, in pursuit of 바카라사이트ir duty to ensure that students who drop out 바카라사이트n leave 바카라사이트 country, some regional universities even deploy private security teams to monitor and even (illegally) restrict 바카라사이트 movements of students who have abandoned 바카라사이트ir studies. One small regional university has imposed a strict curfew and a daily roll call of all international students in its hall of residence.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 government has started to conduct annual surveys and accreditation reviews based on illegal stay rates, restricting visas for universities deemed problematic.

South Korea¡¯s educational landscape and economy have undoubtedly been immensely enriched by 바카라사이트 growing influx of passionate international students. But it is imperative to streng바카라사이트n regulatory frameworks and enhance institutional capacities to support and effectively manage this diverse student body.

By addressing 바카라사이트se challenges in?바카라사이트 right way, South Korea can ensure that its educational institutions continue to offer both quality and visa compliance, maintaining 바카라사이트ir status as attractive global destinations for prospective students and fulfilling 바카라사이트 country¡¯s goal of hosting 300,000 international students by 2027.

(KS) is a former Fulbright Scholar and PhD candidate at Korea University, specialising in higher education administration. He has more than 14 years of experience in international higher education, having held positions at both a research university and a US branch campus in South Korea.