The South Korean government has unveiled the schedule for the selection procedure under the Employment Permit System (EPS) for 2015.

Organizing a press meet in Kathmandu on Tuesday, officials of EPS Center in Nepal under South Korea's Human Resource Department, said registration of aspirant Nepali workers for Korean Language Test (KLT) for EPS will be held between April 16 and April 19. Similarly, language test of applicants will be conducted on September 13 and 14. The center plans to announce result of the language test on October 1.

The EPS Center will publish notice for registration for language test on April 23.

South Korea is a lucrative job destination for Nepalis. Thousands of youth have been throng form collection centers to appear in the language test in the past few years. A total of 58,770 applicants had appeared in the language test held in September last year. However, only 6.2 percent, or 3,663 candidates, passed the test conducted by HRD EPS-Korea."

"Taking into consideration the rise in number of applicants, the EPS Center has added two additional application collection centers -- one in Kathmandu and one outside the capital -- for this year. This means there will be nine collection centers this year -- four in Kathmandu and one each in Janakpur, Dharan, Butwal, Pokhara and Dadeldhu"a," Lee Dong-Sirk, director of HRD Korea EPS Center in Nepal, said.

This year, the center plans to conduct language test in Pokhara as well. "This time we are conducting language test out of Kathmandu too. For the convenience of aspiring Nepali workers, we also plan to hold such tests in other places out of Kathmandu in the years to co"e," he added.

Dong-Sirk expects around 7,100 applicants -- 4,900 in manufacturing sector and 2,200 in agricultural sector -- to pass the language test this year.

Dilli Bastola, chief of EPS Nepal, said the announcement of the possible number of applicants who may pass the test will help to end confusion about the number of aspirant workers that the Korean government will entertain under the EPS.

Officials of HRD Korea EPS Center, however, clarified that passing of language test alone does not guarantee jobs under EPS. "Passing the test means that the applicants have been registered in the roster of workers in South Korea. They will be selected through computerized system that matches workers' interest and employers' demand," said Lee, urging applicants, who pass the test, to not leave their jobs immediately.

source: republica,24 March 2015