Efforts to overcome the Korean language barrier.
In 2025, the entire country will only have 3,300 positions available for workers to go to South Korea under the EPS program in this recruitment round. On the first day of receiving applications for the 2025 Korean language proficiency test, the Provincial Employment Promotion Center received 1,500 applications. The number of applications continued to increase in the following days.
Mr. Bui Duc Duy from Quy Hop district said that to submit his application, he had to go to Vinh City a day in advance, arriving at the center at 6 am to get a form, but still had to queue behind 400 people. "This exam is expected to be very difficult for workers because the nature of the exam has changed, while most workers have been studying since 2023 with a different set of questions," Mr. Duy shared, adding that he had taken the Korean language exam three times but failed all three times, so he has very high expectations for this exam.
Mr. Tran Van Vu (born in 2007, residing in Quynh Luu district) also arrived at the Nghe An Employment Service Center at 3:30 AM to submit his application for the Korean language proficiency test, but was still behind 300 other people. Mr. Vu said: "I started learning Korean at the beginning of 2024 and registered for this exam to work in agriculture in South Korea. According to many people, this exam will be very difficult and competitive. In my village, many people have taken the exam three or four times and still haven't passed," Mr. Vu said.
Many difficulties
This year, the application period for the Korean language proficiency test was shortened from 5 days to 3 days, so from the very first day, the Center had to divide the registration areas to avoid congestion. By the last day, we had recorded 3,056 applications, with the highest number recorded in Hoang Mai Town with 305 people, Thanh Chuong District with 290 workers, and Nam Dan District with 246 workers…
Mr. Tran Huu Thuong – Deputy Director of the Provincial Employment Service Center
In the most recent recruitment drive, Vietnam had 16,000 job openings in South Korea, but received 45,000 applications. Nghe An province alone had 6,261 applicants, but only 2,300 met the requirements, meaning only 2,300 people from Nghe An passed the Korean language test. On average, only 30% of Nghe An workers pass the Korean language test each time. "This time, the number of positions is small; the whole country is only recruiting 3,300 people, but Nghe An has already received 3,056 applications. Therefore, securing a job in South Korea is currently very difficult," said Mr. Tran Huu Thuong.
This year, South Korea is only recruiting for two sectors: manufacturing and agriculture. Due to the large number of vacancies, relatively low requirements, and ample overtime opportunities, the agriculture sector has received a very large number of applications, resulting in increasingly fierce competition for positions.
To take the Korean language proficiency test, laborers from rural areas have to prepare a considerable amount of money to rent accommodation and study in Vinh City. Bui Duc Duy from Quy Hop district said he had to use all his savings and money from his parents, around 20-30 million VND, just to cover his study and exam preparation. In his hometown, many people fail the test a second or third time, becoming discouraged and giving up. Some even have to travel to Hanoi for 3-4 months of intensive preparation for the exam.
Besides the cost of preparing for the Korean language exam, the emigration fee and deposit fee remain a difficult issue for many workers. Mr. Hoang Son Lam, Deputy Director of the Social Policy Bank of the province, said: "In 2024, only 350 workers in the entire province will have access to employment-generating capital under national target programs. The reason is that each poor household can only access employment-generating capital once, but most workers have already borrowed previously for livestock farming and business production, so the opportunity to borrow again to support participation in overseas employment will be more difficult."
Sharing information with workers about the upcoming Korean language exam, Mr. Tran Huu Thuong - Deputy Director of the Provincial Employment Service Center - said: To be adequately prepared for the Korean language exam and the career orientation exam to meet the requirements of Korea, workers themselves must equip themselves with a good command of the Korean language. Although the exam format may change, the difficulty level remains the same, so if workers diligently study, they will pass. Besides foreign languages, workers also need to prepare themselves with good vocational skills to be fully prepared before going abroad. Workers who graduate from vocational schools with relevant training will have an advantage over unskilled workers...
The Korean Law on Employment Permits for Foreign Workers, passed by the Korean National Assembly on August 16, 2003, stipulates the Employment Permit System for Foreign Workers (EPS Program), effective from August 16, 2004. According to this law, Korean businesses that cannot recruit domestic workers are permitted to hire a certain number of foreign workers; the Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea is responsible for introducing and managing all matters related to foreign workers. The Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea has signed Memorandums of Understanding with 15 countries, including Vietnam, to send and receive workers to Korea.
Source: https://baonghean.vn/kho-nhu-thi-tieng-han-10294896.html
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