Attracting workers to go abroad under the EPS program

EPS is a Korean employment permit program for foreign workers, effective since 2004. When meeting the requirements to work in Korea under the EPS program, workers will be protected by Korean law and enjoy basic rights equal to Korean workers.

Nguyen Tuan Anh, Gia Vuong commune (Gia Vien district) graduated from high school in 2022. After a period of working freelance to have more time to learn about the foreign labor market, Tuan Anh went to the Provincial Employment Service Center to learn about the Korean labor market. Tuan Anh said that he wanted to participate in the Korean market. Therefore, in the past time, he has been following the registration schedule, exam time, regulations and conditions for registering for the labor export exam (XKLĐ) under the EPS Program.

"In reality, to pass these exams, workers must meet quite high requirements in both professional knowledge and foreign language ability. Therefore, to participate and achieve the highest results in the upcoming Korean exam, I am currently proactively studying Korean to ensure the knowledge to participate in the exam." - Tuan Anh said.

According to information from the Provincial Employment Service Center, in recent years, due to population aging, Korea has increasingly lacked human resources, especially in the following industries: Assembly, connection, measurement, aquaculture, nearshore fishing, shipbuilding... The Korean government is actively adjusting policies to attract more foreign workers such as: increasing quotas under the EPS program, extending working hours for seasonal agricultural workers, expanding the reception of human resources in the shipbuilding industry with more favorable conditions for workers...

In 2023, the EPS program in Vietnam will recruit about 12,000 people, including the following occupations: manufacturing, construction, industry, and fisheries. This is considered a great opportunity for Vietnamese workers in general and workers in Ninh Binh province in particular.

Mr. La Thanh Tung, Director of the Provincial Employment Service Center, said: The EPS program has always been one of the province's effective labor export channels. Workers are interested in this program because of its low cost, large recruitment opportunities, and high income of 40-60 million VND/month. In particular, when participating in the EPS program, workers are protected and enjoy the same benefits as Korean workers.

However, to participate in this program, workers must pass a Korean proficiency test organized by Korea in collaboration with Vietnam. After passing the two rounds of the test, workers will undergo a health check and prepare an application to introduce themselves to Korean employers. Korean employers will choose to sign a contract, and then the workers will complete the procedures to work in Korea.

Over the past years, the Provincial Employment Service Center has actively promoted and disseminated information, creating favorable conditions for workers in the province to access job opportunities from the EPS program. Since the beginning of 2023, the Center has organized the selection of 805 workers to register for the 2023 EPS program for 4 industries: manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and fisheries.

The Center has also announced the results of the Korean language test for agriculture and fisheries and the plan for testing skills and assessing capacity through the Center's official website. As a result, 211 workers have been selected by Korean enterprises for orientation training, of which 105 workers have been able to leave the country under the EPS program. In addition, the Center has also provided guidance on completing the application for job transfer to the shipbuilding industry under the EPS program according to the Official Dispatch of the Overseas Labor Center for 83 workers.

Ninh Binh province's workers have participated in the Korean labor market since 2005. Up to now, thousands of workers have been working in Korea for a limited period of time, including many workers going abroad under the EPS program. Since the beginning of 2023, the province has sent over 800 workers abroad, of which over 500 workers have entered the Korean market.

To facilitate workers' access to the EPS program, in addition to timely information on the labor market situation, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs continues to direct the Provincial Employment Service Center to further strengthen solutions to support workers in foreign languages, knowledge, skills, and orientation education for workers, meeting the needs of the labor export market.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuyen, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, said: Previously, the Korean side had stopped accepting Vietnamese workers under the EPS program. The reason was that many Vietnamese workers did not return home even though their labor contracts had expired.

To avoid repeating this lesson, along with the efforts of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, localities, especially those with many workers going abroad to the Korean market, need to continue to promote propaganda, mobilize relatives to sign commitments, and encourage workers to return home in accordance with regulations.

At the same time, widely inform and publicize some preferential policies of Korea for workers whose contracts expire and who return home on time; preferential policies of Korea for exemplary workers who re-enter Korea to work.

Article and photos: Dao Hang

Source