Overstaying Visas Issue HUFS International Students

On Tuesday, a lawmaker released data which showed that around 360 foreign international students of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) have gone and overstayed their visas over the past two years.

Some of them are found in illegal actions. They are working there as unauthorized migrant workers.

Now the government is pushing and pressurizing management of all universities especially Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) to supervise carefully the matter of foreign students.

Rep. Lee Chan-Yeul of the minor Bareunmirae Party presented the data from Ministry of Justice which showed that during July 2016 to June 2017, about 193 foreign undergraduate students at HUFS or its language institute missed the connection with the school and became illegal immigrants. This amount was 8.6percent of the total foreign students there.

 A large number of 176 students did this illegal act and considered for 11.3percent of total foreign students at university, from July 2017 to June 2018.

In 2018, the average ratio of all universities foreign students who have overstayed visas is far smaller than the current ratio of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) foreign students.

The ratio of USF’s student is 4percent larger than other universities.

There are a lot of examples of foreign students who came there with the intention of work but didn’t get any work visa. Then they got admission as international students in low-class universities, located in isolated areas. After some time, they disappear from universities and became illegal migrant’s workers.

In the start of this year, the Ministry of Education dismissed Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) from the list of universities that are giving quality education to their students and managing the issues of foreign students well. This happened only because of mismanagement of the university’s administration.

The schools are given a favorable strategy for selecting foreign students. The strategy included simplistic methods for asking and distributing visas for students. Students will be given more liberty about ongoing programs.

Rep. Lee said that few foreigners who have trouble gaining work visas abuse the clear screening system of those universities to enter this country. He said many universities require distinct verification systems to refine students who are expected to become illegal immigrants, so the governments must come up with precise criteria to limit some foreigners from abusing the system.

From the Ministry of Education, an official said that the dilemma of foreign citizens basically entering Korea as international students then illegally overstaying their visas and working illegally has been going on for years.

An official of the Ministry’s international Education Bureau, Ku Hyun-Gyu, said that universities have been exploring more international students as the number of Korean students has been shrinking due to the less birth-rate. Many schools support finances by attracting foreigners.

Government has not clearly announced any countermeasures related to this issue.

Officials of the Education Ministry said that they will introduce a strong monitoring system at universities to solve this issue.

HUFS said that it has increased the recruitment method for international students after receiving some students had been abusing the school’s system.