Record number of youths vie for jobs in Korea Government receives over 60,000 applications for Korean language test in four days Ramesh Shrestha Kathmandu, August 16 The productive workforce in the country seems less swayed by the government’s efforts, if any, to retain them. This could not be more evident than in the fact that the government this year received all time high applications for jobs under the South Korean Employment Permit System (EPS). A total of 62,514 individuals applied for Korean language test, the vital step to be eligible for jobs under the system. The four-day period allotted for application submission expired on Saturday. The number of job aspirants vying for Korea this year surpassed the records of four previous tests — in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013. Better salary, facilities and labour-friendly government rules are attributed as main reasons behind huge number of Nepali youths eyeing jobs in Korea. In 2008, when the application was called for the first time, around 32,000 had applied for the language test. The number grew to around 42,000, in 2010. According to the EPS Korea Section of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), 58,000 Nepalis had applied in 2011 and in 2013, 47,000 had submitted their applications. “Applications received for language test this year is at all-time high since Nepal and Korea agreed on the EPS provision,” said Dilli Ram Bastola, director of the EPS Korea Section. He said that since there was overwhelming response from Nepali aspirants, they would request the Korean government to increase the quota for 2015. Earlier, Korean government had said that it would announce quota for Nepal during the time of language test results. Individuals passing the exam scheduled for September 26 and 27 will be eligible to leave for jobs in 2015 in manufacturing, agriculture and livestock sectors. The results will be announced on October 15. This year, government had set up seven centres to facilitate collection of exam forms. In terms of number of applications, the highest number of applications — 13,380 — were collected from Acme Engineering College, Sitapaila followed by Chyasal football ground in Patan, from where 11,691 aspirants submitted their papers. Similarly, 10,548 applications were submitted from Laboratory Higher Secondary School in Kirtipur, according to EPS Korea Section Office. In total, 35,619 people applied for Korean jobs from the Kathmandu Valley. Similarly, there were submissions of 9,933 applications from Pokhara, 9,378 from Dharan, 6,994 from Butwal and 590 individuals applied from Dadeldhura. Since 2008, EPS provision has been attracting Nepali youths for jobs in Korea as destination is safe and offers better remuneration compared to that in countries like Malaysia and Gulf. According to EPS Korea Section, more youths may have been attracted to leave for Korea this year because of hike in minimum salary. Recently, the Korean government jacked up the minimum salary, which allows Nepali workers to bag basic Rs 100,000 a month, besides other facilities. The government is also mulling over proposing Korea to include Nepali workers under the national pension provision too. An aspirant who leaves for Korea under the EPS provision spends around Rs 90,000. Nepal is also the best labour sending country under the EPS to Korea. In 2013, Nepal had received ‘Best Practice Outstanding Award’, according to Bastola. Even as Korea is limiting demand from other countries, it has not cut the demand of Nepali workers. Bastola said they will complete all preparations by December this year to start sending new batch of workers from February 2015. Last year, the country took in 5,200 individuals from Nepal and this year till now it has hired 4,600 workers. So far, Korea has hired 26,000 plus Nepali workers, according to the EPS Korea Section.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 19:17:39 +0000
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