South Korea, one of the best labour markets for Nepali outbound workers, is hiring 7,100 Nepali individuals next fiscal year under its Employment Permit System (EPS). It is hiring such a huge number of Nepali workers for the first time after the government demanded to increase the quota for Nepal.

The government has already held discussions with Human Resource Development (HRD), South Korea, and fixed the date for conducting Korean Language Test (KLT) and publishing results. The Department of Foreign Employment has stated that it will start preparations for the exam within two weeks. Chandra Man Shrestha, acting director general of the department, said preparations are underway for calling for application for the exam on May 2-4, 2011. He said the test is scheduled on July 22 and 23, as participation this year is expected to increase compared to last year. Results will be published on Aug. 23.

In August last year, witnessing a huge response from youths, the government had requested South Korea to increase the quota for Nepal.

Last year, more than 40,000 individuals had applied for the language test for 4,000 EPS jobs. “The quota has been increased this year because of the good reputation of Nepalis working in South Korea,” said Shrestha. He added that chances of further increment of the quota in future are high.

Application fee for the exam has been increased by US$ 9 in order to meet increasing expanses and make the exam advanced. Now, aspirants will have to pay US$ 26 to apply for the exam. Earlier, the fee was US$ 17.

The government is considering entrusting the job of conducting the exam to Private and Boarding School’s Organisation Nepal (PABSON) this year, as last year’s experience with the Tribhuwan University was not so encouraging, according to the department. So far, a total of 6,500 individuals have left the country for EPS job. In the first phase, 6,800 individuals’ names were included in the roster list, of which 5,800 have already reached South Korea.

“Some 50-60 individuals of the first phase are remaining,” said Mahesh Acharya, chief of the EPS Nepal Office. He said names of around 100 aspirants were removed from the roster list, while some of them changed thir mind. In the second phase last year, a total of 4,096 aspirants had passed the language test. Of them, some 700 have already left for South Korea.

Under the EPS, Korea hires workers from 15 developing countries each year and Nepal is eligible to send workers in five sectors—agriculture, fishery, construction, manufacturing and services. Nepali workers earn Rs 70,000 a month on an average.

Korea hires workers from Nepal, Vietnam, Mongolia, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan and East Timor under the EPS introduced in 2004. Nepal had signed the EPS agreement with South Korea in July 2007.

Published on: 29 March 2011 | The Kathmandu Post