The government will significantly lower the bar for the “K-Tech Pass,” a system designed to attract outstanding foreign talent. In addition to the existing quantitative evaluation focused on educational background, work experience and annual salary, new qualitative evaluation methods will be introduced to reflect technological expertise and similar factors.

The Tech Pass is a program that provides top-tier domestic talent residence visas (F-2-T), as well as tax and housing support, to outstanding foreign professionals in advanced industry fields such as semiconductors. Once selected, beneficiaries can obtain a residence visa online within two weeks. Support also includes up to a 50% reduction in earned income tax for a maximum of 10 years and admission to foreign schools for their children.

On 2 July, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it will begin operating new tracks for the K-Tech Pass: the “qualitative evaluation type” and the “government scholar-attraction project linkage type.” Previously, among foreigners who had signed employment contracts with domestic high-tech companies, only those who met quantitative criteria such as △holding a master’s or doctoral degree from one of the world’s top 100 engineering schools △having work experience at one of the world’s top 500 companies △earning an annual salary at least three times the per capita gross national income (GNI) were eligible for Tech Pass benefits.

The newly introduced qualitative evaluation type will conduct a comprehensive review of technological expertise, job necessity and other factors by combining quantitative evaluation (65 points) and qualitative evaluation (35 points). A track linked to government scholar-attraction projects will also be newly established. Overseas scholars selected under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s top-tier global talent attraction program and the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s bio scholar-attraction program will become Tech Pass beneficiaries without separate screening.

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