Be careful with "brokers"
Up to now, the Korean labor market has been a market with high income and good working conditions. Before 2004, Vietnamese workers in general and Nghe An province workers in particular went to work in Korea under the trainee program (both training and working) through labor export enterprises, with high costs of about 100 million VND (including anti-escape deposit). On average, during this period, the whole province sent about 300 - 400 people each year.
(Baonghean) -Up to now, the Korean labor market has been a market with high income and good working conditions. Before 2004, Vietnamese workers in general and Nghe An province workers in particular went to work in Korea under the trainee program (both training and working) through labor export enterprises, with high costs of about 100 million VND (including anti-escape deposit). On average, during this period, the whole province sent about 300 - 400 people each year.
Since 2005, according to the agreement between the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Ministry of Labor and Employment of Korea, laborers working in Korea are carried out through the Permit Program (EPS), a non-profit program. Under this program, workers who meet the requirements and pass the Korean language test will be able to apply. The cost of working in Korea under the Permit Program is 630 USD. Accordingly, Nghe An has sent more than 6,000 people, currently working in Korea. Every year, these workers send back to their families through official channels about 72 million USD, not to mention other forms.
With the work not being too hard, the working term is quite long (a working contract is 3 years, extended for 1 year, 10 more months, a total of nearly 5 years) while the selection is not as demanding as many other markets, the cost of going is considered low, so it is understandable that people "flock" to the Korean market. Talking to reporters, Mr. Ho Van Hung - Director of the Job Introduction Center under the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of the province said: Determining the need for labor in choosing the market is legitimate, and at the same time contributing to solving employment for workers in the province, the Center has created the most favorable conditions for workers in terms of procedures, documents, instructions... Mr. Hung also admitted that because he could not predict the number of workers who want to go to Korea to be as high as 13,000 people (double, triple the expected) this year, there was chaos, jostling, pushing, and even people had to go to the emergency room when the Center organized registration for workers who wanted to take the Korean language test in mid-November. The incident was reported by the press and the governing agency, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, has sought a solution.
More than 13,000 Nghe An workers want to go to Korea, a number beyond the expectations of the management industry.
However, it is worth mentioning that besides the unnecessary chaos, some negative manifestations have appeared. According to regulations, the cost of workers going to work under the Employment Permit System (EPS) is low, so some individuals and "brokers" have taken advantage of the workers' psychology to defraud and illegally appropriate money from workers with promises such as: taking care of workers passing the Korean language test and doing the procedures for workers to soon go to work in Korea, thereby pushing the cost up very high. Besides, there is also information about some workers not participating in Korean language classes but still registering to take the test; some subjects have taken the test for workers through the use of pagers, mobile phones or taking the test for them... to illegally collect money from workers, causing people who want to go to work in Korea to be confused and lack confidence in this good program and policy. And this is also part of the reason why the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs decided that 13,000 Nghe An workers will have to go to Hanoi to take the exam (Nghe An will organize the exam for other localities) in the near future.
In response to these indignant public opinions, Mr. Dang Cao Thang, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, affirmed: Workers absolutely should not listen to "brokers" who promise and guarantee to help workers pass the exam. No organization or individual can "bribe" workers to pass the exam except their own ability. Workers only have to pay the cost of going to work in Korea under this program, which is 630 USD. Mr. Ho Van Hung, Director of the Job Introduction Center, the unit directly guiding and preparing application documents, also affirmed: "People need to be alert to false information. It is impossible to take the exam on behalf of workers, or to help workers "fly early" as promised by some "brokers". Mr. Hung also said that at the Center, there have been clear instructions to all employees: No one is allowed to violate regulations, and absolutely no behavior of suggesting or promising to workers. If you violate the law, you will first be responsible before the law, then you will be subject to strict penalties from the Center.
In response to the question about the Korean language test this year for workers wishing to go to Korea, Mr. Dang Cao Thang replied: For Nghe An workers, the test will be held in Hanoi on December 17-18. The test fee is only 24 USD. Workers taking the test must take 2 subjects: reading comprehension and listening comprehension, each test consists of 50 questions and the maximum score for both parts is 200 points. Those who pass the test will be selected from high to low scores until the quota is met. However, among those who pass the test, Korean employers will accept them according to the quota of each specific industry (in 2012, it is expected to accept about 15,000 Vietnamese workers for various industries and occupations). To properly assess the Korean language proficiency of workers, seriously, fairly, and transparently, this year, the organizing committee will use professional techniques to check and not allow workers to bring pagers, phones, or other means of transmitting signals into the exam room. On the other hand, ID cards and exam tickets will be strictly checked to prevent cases of taking the exam on behalf of or for someone else.
For workers who have passed the Korean language test (the results will be announced on the website of the Overseas Labor Center of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs on December 28), the Nghe An Job Center will guide them and prepare their application documents to work in Korea. The application documents and the list of candidates will be sent by the Nghe An Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to the Overseas Labor Center, which will send the application documents online for Korean employers to choose from. The selection or not, sooner or later, depends entirely on the needs of the employer.
Thuy Vinh
