KOTRA expands K-Tech Pass eligibility to attract more global talent

KOTRA announced Wednesday that it is overhauling the eligibility criteria for the K-Tech Pass program to broaden the pool of foreign talent it can support, in line with a directive from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The K-Tech Pass offers top-tier visa issuance and settlement support to foreign specialists in advanced industries including semiconductors, displays, batteries, biotech, robotics, defense, AI and next-generation mobility.

The revamp adds two new tracks alongside the existing Types 1 and 2, which are based primarily on quantitative criteria such as academic credentials, work experience and salary. Type 3 introduces qualitative assessment, while Type 4 links eligibility to the government's global scholar-recruitment initiative.

Unlike the existing tracks, which rely on measurable benchmarks, the new tracks allow panels of field experts to evaluate candidates holistically — weighing practical competencies, project experience and potential industry impact. The change is intended to open the program to high-caliber talent who would have been screened out under the previous criteria.

The tie-in with the government's global scholar-recruitment drive is also designed to strengthen national-level acquisition of key personnel. KOTRA expects companies to be able to secure the overseas R&D talent they need more flexibly and quickly as a result.

Industry welcomed the changes. A human resources official at Lunit, an AI medical technology company, said that in the past, candidates with strong practical skills and project experience were sometimes denied K-Tech Pass benefits because they fell short of rigid academic or career requirements. "With the expansion, a path has opened for recognizing those candidates' actual knowledge and capabilities, which will help us secure top talent," the official said.

A foreign R&D director who joined Pnacier, a domestic pharmaceutical and medical solutions company, said the K-Tech Pass allowed visa issuance and entry procedures to proceed smoothly, letting them focus on R&D without administrative burdens.

Kang Sang-yeop, KOTRA executive vice president and head of the small and midsize enterprise division, said the success of advanced industries hinges on securing the right people. "We will actively support K-Tech Pass in serving as a fast track that helps companies recruit overseas talent," he said.