More than 2,800 Lao nationals now working in S. Korea

Lao authorities say there are at least 2,800 Lao nationals working in the Republic of Korea on short-term contracts that run from 2022 to 2023.
Workers are employed on Korean farms and other sectors under the Employment Permit System and the Seasonal Worker Programme agreed to between the two countries.
Korean authorities have requested at least 1,500 Lao workers each year.
Under the Employment Permit System, about 500 people are selected each year for employment in Korea after passing a Korean language test administered by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea.

Job seekers take a Korean language test. (File photo)

Qualified Lao workers are given jobs in industry and SMEs, as well as on farms, according to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.
Korea hires Lao workers under a Service Commitment Agreement, which requires candidates to be interviewed and pass language proficiency and labour skill tests.
Lao nationals wishing to work in the Republic of Korea should contact the Department of Employment and the Employment Service Centre, under the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.
The Employment Service Centre gives consideration to candidates who are in good health, aged 25-45, and have a genuine desire to work.
Employment contracts in Korea run for five months to one year. Workers earn a minimum of US$1,600-US$2,000 a month and are also eligible for social welfare benefits.
An official from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, who asked not to be named, said Korea accepts young workers from various Asean countries including Laos, to work in small and medium enterprises in agriculture, the service sector, and other industries.
However, the number of people in Laos who are able to pass the Korean language test is small, even though it is relatively less competitive than in other countries that send workers to Korea.
Interested individuals can register at the Centre and then take part in a selection process. Korean company representatives interview them and applicants will learn the test results the same day.
Korea accepts Lao nationals for jobs in the country after passing a labour skill test, under the 2016 agreement on the Employment Permit System (EPS-TOPIK).
Vietnam currently has 55,795 workers employed in Korea, the Philippines has 26,217, and Indonesia has 24,732. Last year, as many as 500,712 Lao nationals were working overseas, including 27,176 women, statistics from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare show.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
 (Latest Update May 5, 2023)