South Korea may need foreign workers to fill 110,000 elderly care jobs by 2028

This comes as South Korea grapples with rapid population ageing. Read more at straitstimes.com.

SEOUL – South Korea may face a shortage of about 110,000 elderly care workers by 2028, signaling the need to expand the role of foreign caregivers and guarantee them rights equal to local workers, according to a government-funded research institute.

A report released March 15 by the Korea Immigration Service Foundation said foreign care workers should be integrated into the country’s long-term care system with equal labor protections and broader social acceptance, as the country grapples with rapid population ageing.

Government and research institute data cited in the report show that about 800,000 care workers will be needed nationwide by 2028, while the available workforce is projected to reach around 690,000, leaving a gap of roughly 110,000 workers.

The shortage reflects the ageing of the care workforce itself. Of the 657,104 people working in the care sector in 2024, about 66 per cent were aged 60 or older, according to government data.

By contrast, foreign caregivers remain a small minority, with just 6,644 working in the sector as of 2024.

The researchers said addressing the shortage will require more detailed planning of care services, including who needs them, what types of services are required, and how they should be delivered in terms of working hours and employment arrangements.