The Immigration Services Agency released a draft ministerial ordinance Tuesday to introduce a five-year period of stay for holders of the Type 2 specified skilled foreign worker status from early January next year after seeking public comments.

Holders of the status are currently granted periods of stay for six months, one year, two years or three years, depending on their employment stability, continuity and other factors. Longer periods carry stricter screening criteria, such as employment records and tax payment history.

The government said that detailed requirements for the new program will be finalized later.

The new five-year category would align with other residence statuses for foreign nationals, including those for nursing care workers, whose maximum stay period is five years.

Under the current guidelines for permanent residency status, applicants must hold the longest available period of stay under their current residence status.