[Exclusive] "Only F-visa Holders May Apply"... Eland Eats Opens First Recruitment Drive for Foreign Nationals

First-ever open recruitment program for foreign nationals
"We welcome talented people who want to grow with us, regardless of nationality"
Promotion to store manager also a possibility

Eland Eats, the food service company that operates buffet brand Ashley Queens and other restaurants, is launching a hiring program for foreign nationals to work as managers at its stores in Korea for the first time. With the number of foreign visitors to Korea reaching a record high and the foreign resident population continuing to grow, the food service industry, which has long faced chronic hiring difficulties, appears to be starting to view foreign nationals as a potential source of workers.

According to industry sources on November 4, Eland Eats is accepting applications for its “Global Food Service Manager Recruitment Program” through November 15. The role oversees in-store operations, including store management; cooking and product quality and hygiene management; ordering ingredients and managing inventory; staff scheduling and workforce management; and customer service and service quality. The positions are for Eland Eats’ major brands: Ashley Queens, Pizza Mall, Rimini, and Rowan Shabu Shabu.

Eland Eats’ Ashley Queens at NC Songpa. Photo provided by Eland Eats.

This is the first time Eland Eats has conducted an official recruitment program for foreign nationals. The company said successful applicants will complete a three-month orientation before being converted to regular employees, and may advance to store manager and senior store manager positions based on their skills and performance. “In face-to-face interviews, we assess candidates’ suitability for store management roles, as well as their ability to communicate in Korean at work and their service skills,” Eland Eats said, adding, “We welcome talented people who want to grow with us, regardless of nationality.”

Applicants must hold a valid status of stay, such as F-2 (residence), F-4 (overseas Korean), F-5 (permanent residence), or F-6 (marriage migrant), and be legally eligible to work in the relevant role. They must also be able to assist customers and communicate with colleagues in Korean. The company said preference will be given to applicants with experience in Korea’s food service or service industries and those with Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) scores.

Eland Eats is considering assigning foreign employees hired through this program to company-operated stores nationwide, rather than limiting them to specific commercial districts. The company said that, as this is its first such program and is still at the pilot stage, specific placement and operating plans will be determined based on the hiring results and conditions at its stores.

Eland Eats said it expects the fresh perspectives of foreign employees to be reflected in its stores, as the number of foreign visitors to Korea and foreign customers using Korean food service brands continues to rise, and its major brands feature menus from around the world. In this context, the company also recruited 18 foreign nationals from 15 countries, including the Philippines, Germany, and Nigeria, as supporters this year to promote its flagship brand Ashley Queens overseas.

Eland Eats' job posting for foreign applicants. Screenshot of Eland Eats' post on JobKorea.

A company representative said, “This program was established to diversify our pool of food service management talent and provide new career opportunities for foreign talent living in Korea. Beyond simply expanding our workforce, we aim to give foreign talent more opportunities to build expertise in Korea’s food service industry and grow into food service managers.”

The food service industry considers formal open recruitment targeting foreign nationals, rather than hiring them for part-time jobs, to be uncommon. It is seen as particularly unusual to offer the possibility of promotion to store manager, a role with overall responsibility for running a specific store. At Starbucks, which accepts applications from foreign nationals through its open recruitment process, foreign employees first join as baristas, just like Korean employees. Some foreign employees at Starbucks have since been promoted from barista to supervisor, a position immediately below store manager and assistant manager.

The developments in the food service industry are seen as reflecting the growing foreign resident population in Korea. According to the “2025 Statistics on the Migrant Background Population” released last month by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the number of people with a migrant background in Korea stood at 2.81 million as of November 2025, up 95,000 from the previous year. Of these, people of working age (15–64) accounted for 81.9% of the total. “More foreign nationals are settling in Korea,” the ministry said. “Among people in their 20s and 30s, many migrate primarily for study or training. In addition, young people are arriving in large numbers to work in manufacturing and construction under the Employment Permit System and in non-professional jobs.”

Demand among Korean companies for foreign workers is also rising. According to Comate, Saramin’s specialized recruitment platform for foreign nationals, job postings and applications in the first three quarters of this year increased by 122.4% and 62.8%, respectively. In a survey conducted by Comate in June of 114 companies employing foreign workers, 58% of respondents said they planned to expand their hiring of foreign nationals.

An industry source said, “The fact that foreign nationals whose visa (status of stay) issues have been resolved could be an alternative workforce may also have influenced the food service industry, which has long faced chronic hiring difficulties.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.