○ Promotion of consultation services to support settlement of foreign residents in Gyeonggi Province
– Free consultation services through 15 agencies this year, four more than previous year
– Foreign residents can receive over-the-phone consultation services for life problems, immigration, overdue payment of wages, employment, industrial accidents, medical treatments and more
○ Extensive contribution to protecting foreign residents’ labor rights and their settling in local communities

Gyeonggi Province launched its foreign resident consultation services with hopes of creating a world that does not discriminate and respects laborers. It has been immensely contributing to the protection of foreign residents’ labor rights and their settling in local communities.

According to a report by Gyeonggi Province made on the 25th, a Vietnamese migrant worker (“A”) with the special activity visa (E-7) residing in Gyeonggi Province, encountered a situation in February where their employer failed to pay for January’s monthly wage of KRW 2.5 million on time.

Anxious with a lack of knowledge in how to proceed to protect their rights and with limited Korean proficiency, A discovered Gyeonggi Province’s foreign resident consultation services. Desperate to solve this problem, A requested help from Suwon Migrant Community Service Center.

Following the receipt of the request, the center allocated a consultant from Vietnam, and provided a free consultation in Vietnamese on the relevant labor laws and procedures to take to claim A’s rights. Through the consultation, A was able to receive the overdue wage from the employer.

In response to the increasing demand for consultation and interpretation services for immigrants who experience unfair treatment, the Gyeonggi Province is investing about KRW 580 million to increase the number of agencies that provide the free consultation service.

Including the four additional agencies designated through the investment this year, Gyeonggi Province now offers the service through 15 foreign resident-related organizations and agencies, hoping to reach even more foreign residents.

Organizations in Gyeonggi Province that offer the services are as follows: Suwon Migrant Community Service Center, Goyang Seunglee Multicultural Vision Center, Yongin Immigrant Support Center, Seongnam Migrant Community Service Center, Bucheon Migrant Welfare Center, Hwaseong Immigrants Community Service Center, Ansan Multicultural Support Headquarters, Namyangju Migrant Welfare Center, Pyeongtaek Migrant Welfare Center, Siheung-si Foreigner Welfare Center, Paju Migrant Workers Center Shalom House, Gimpo Foreign Resident Support Center, Gunpo Asia Chang, Icheon Healthy Family & Multicultural Family Support Center, and Yeoju Foreigner Welfare Center (to be opened).

Foreign residents can receive not only free consultations on life problems but also legal matters such as immigration, overdue payment of wages, employment, industrial accident, medical treatment, etc. from professional consultants in the related field. For those who cannot visit the centers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, telephone consultation is also available.

Director Hong Dong-gi of Gyeonggi Province’s Foreign Policy Division revealed, “Just like how differences in language or nationality is no grounds for discrimination, we will continue to actively consult and support foreign residents on issues they aren’t able to solve on their own such as life problems, employment, or industrial accidents.”

For more information, contact the respective local welfare center for foreign residents.