Who is allowed to go to Korea to work in the agricultural sector?

In order to implement the content of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Employment and Labor of the Republic of Korea and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam on sending Vietnamese workers to work in Korea under the Korean Foreign Worker Permit Program (EPS Program), the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea) under the Ministry of Employment and Labor of the Republic of Korea will coordinate with the Center for Overseas Labor (Colab) under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam to organize the 2019 Korean language test for agriculture.

Contestants: These are workers who have never worked in Korea, residing long-term in 93 poor districts (including: 56 poor districts in Group 1; 29 additional poor districts in Group 2 and 8 districts that have escaped poverty in Group 3) according to Decision 275/QD-TTg dated March 7, 2018 of the Prime Minister and workers residing in extremely difficult communes in coastal and island areas according to Decision No. 131/QD-TTg dated January 25, 2017 of the Prime Minister (except for communes in districts that have temporarily stopped recruiting workers to work in Korea under the EPS Program in 2018).

Vietnamese workers work on a farm in Korea.

For employees who transfer their household registration from localities that do not recruit in the agricultural sector or localities that temporarily stop recruiting in 2018 to the above-mentioned selected localities, they must have a minimum residence period of 01 year in the new locality as of December 10, 2018.

Workers who have worked in Korea under the EPS program in the agricultural sector and returned to their home country on time as per their contract (including workers with permanent residence in localities where recruitment was suspended in 2018) and workers who have worked in Korea under the EPS program in the agricultural sector and stayed illegally but voluntarily returned to their home country between April 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016; from July 10, 2017 to October 10, 2017 and from October 1, 2018 to the time of registration for the exam (including workers with permanent residence in localities where recruitment was suspended in 2018) can also register to take the exam.

Contest conditions:From 18 to 39 years old (those born between January 11, 1978 and December 10, 2000); No criminal record as prescribed by law; Never been deported from Korea; If you have ever resided in Korea under an E9 visa (EPS worker) or (and) an E10 visa (nearshore crew member), the residence period must be less than 05 years; Not banned from leaving Vietnam; No relatives (father, mother, biological children; brothers, sisters; spouse) residing illegally in Korea; Healthy enough to work abroad as prescribed by the Ministry of Health.

Workers can only register for the Korean language test in the agricultural sector and must choose the profession they want to work in: farming or animal husbandry. The number of people who meet the Korean language test requirements is equal to the allocated quota, selected according to the principle of taking the person with the highest score down from those who score 80 points or more on a maximum scale of 200 points.

Workers can only register for the Korean language test in the agricultural sector; choose the profession they want to work in: farming or animal husbandry.

The specific time and location of the exam will be notified in writing by the Overseas Labor Center to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of the provinces/cities, and will also be announced on the Overseas Labor Center's website at: http://www.colab.gov.vn on March 4, 2019. The exam registration fee of 24 USD (collected in equivalent Vietnamese currency) is the only fee that candidates must pay when registering for the exam.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Employment and Labor of the Republic of Korea and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam on the program of sending workers to work in Korea, the Overseas Labor Center is the only agency authorized to send Vietnamese workers to work in Korea under the EPS Program. Except for the Overseas Labor Center, no individual or organization is allowed to send Vietnamese workers to work in Korea under the EPS Program. Workers need to clearly understand the above contents to protect their rights when participating in the EPS Program.