The Employment Permit System (EPS) Centre in Nepal has taken the initiative to recruit Nepali workers in the construction sector. It will open a few hundred more jobs in South Korea — the most lucrative job destination for Nepalis. 

Currently, South Korea has been hiring Nepalis in manufacturing, agriculture and livestock sectors. About 16,346 Nepalis are working in the destination since the job market opened in August, 2008. 

I have advised the Human Resource Department (HRD) of South Korea to open the construction sector for Nepalis, said director at the centre Lee Dong Sirk. “HRD South Korea is positive on the issue,” he said, adding that Nepal will need hundreds of trained construction workers in the future and South Korea returnees will be able to fulfil the demand. “Vice president of HRD South Korea is visiting Nepal on March 27, and I will request him to open the construction sector,” he said.

According to him, the Nepali government has also requested South Korea to open the construction sector. South Korea hires unskilled workers from 15 nations in the construction, manufacturing, agriculture and livestock, and fisheries sectors.

Director Sirk said that he is lobbying for more Nepali workers to be hired this year. “About 9,000 workers are in the roster, so I am lobbying for more Nepalis to be hired,” he said. The current roster was created in December, 2011. According to him, illegal workers have emerged as a major social problem in South Korea, so the Nepali government must also consider this issue seriously and help reduce the number. 

However, only a few hundred Nepalis are living in an illegal status in the destination. Vietnamese constitute the majority of illegal migrants among the 177,584 foreign workers. One in every four illegal worker is a Vietnamese, he said. 

According to Sirk, Nepali EPS workers constitute 9.3 per cent of the total 176,277 workers from 15 countries.

Published on: 17 March 2013 |The Himalayan Times