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Busan City Selected for Ministry of Justice’s “Local Government Visa Pilot Program” – Full-Scale Effort to Attract Global Talent in Future High-Tech Industries

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The Local Government Visa Pilot Program allows metropolitan governments to design visa requirements tailored to the industrial and demographic needs of their regions, subject to approval by the Ministry of Justice.

Out of 17 regions that applied, 14 were selected—including Busan, Seoul, Incheon, Daegu, and North Gyeongsang Province.

Under this program, foreign students in future industries—such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, and future mobility—will benefit from relaxed financial requirements for visa issuance and be allowed to participate in internships during the academic semester.

Over the next two years, Busan plans to attract a total of 1,000 international students to local universities, with the goal of fostering global talent in these key industries.

To achieve this, the city will strengthen collaboration between academia and industry, and build an integrated support system to help international students pursue education, secure employment, and settle in Busan.

The program will also be linked with Busan’s other initiatives such as:

• ●RISE (Metropolitan Innovation System for Education)

• ●Glocal University Project

• ●Local policies supporting international students

Busan anticipates that the pilot project will revitalize Metropolitan universities amid demographic decline and enhance their educational competitiveness. Furthermore, the local settlement of international graduates is expected to contribute to youth population growth.

The city emphasized that semiconductors, secondary batteries, and future automotive components are among its strategic industries. Since the designation of Opportunity and Development Zones in Gijang and Jangan last year, foreign student recruitment will also serve to secure high-level talent for these sectors—establishing a foundation for sustainable Metropolitan economic growth.

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Mayor Park Heong-joon commented:
"This pilot program is a critical opportunity to secure future growth engines for Busan while promoting collaborative development between local universities and industries. We will continue to lead proactive policies to attract global talent and address population decline, ensuring the sustainable development of our region."