Why did Korea stop accepting workers from 3 localities of Nghe An?

The labor market is rich in potential but full of temptations

For many years now, Korea has been a potential market for Vietnamese workers. Due to the large number of workers going to work each year and the shortcomings in management, there have been many cases of workers running away. Therefore, the temporary suspension of labor export to other countries in general and Vietnam in particular is a measure of pressure from Korea on other countries.

Workers from District 30a of Nghe An register for the exam to go to Korea to work under the EPS program at the Provincial Employment Service Center. Photo: Nguyen Hai

During the period 2017-2019, dozens of districts and towns in Vietnam were affected by theSouth Korea temporarily suspends accepting workersIn Nghe An, according to a report by the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in 2018 - 2019, on average, out of 100 people who went to work in Korea, 57 people escaped after the end of their contracts, causing the Korean side to put 18/21 districts and towns under review and then announced that they would stop accepting workers from 11/21 districts and towns.

Nghe An Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and Hung Nguyen District People's Committee organized propaganda about the situation of workers going to Korea not returning home on time. Photo: Document (provided by the facility)

After a period of suspension for localities to mobilize and propagate, the above situation has decreased, some districts such as Yen Thanh and Quynh Luu have changed, so in the past few years the other side has received workers again. However, from the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, the situation of workers in districts and towns, especially Nghi Loc, Hung Nguyen and Cua Lo town, has recurred, running away and not returning home after the contract expires. It is worth mentioning that recently theSouth Korea continues to announce the temporary suspension of labor reception for 8 districts and towns.nationwide

According to the data of the People's Committee of Hung Nguyen district, from 2013 to now, more than 1,000 local workers have gone to work in Korea, but currently there are 136 workers who have not returned home on time. Photo (provided by the facility).

The cooperation program to send Vietnamese workers, especially workers from poor border districts and coastal communes to work in Korea is a cooperation program between the Ministry of Labor of Vietnam and Korea (abbreviated as EPS Program).

Accordingly, every year, Korea gives priority to receiving workers in the above areas to Korea to work in the fields of agriculture, forestry, seafood, mechanics... In 2022, Korea received more than 10,000 workers and this year increased to 12,000 workers.

The Provincial Employment Service Center invited international labor experts to conduct communication training for source workers before going abroad. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Learn more, it is known that recently information about conditions and procedures for exporting labor to Korea has become increasingly clear and transparent, intermediary costs have decreased and the income regime for workers is quite high, so the labor market in Korea is attractive to Vietnamese workers.

However, Korea is also the host country with the highest rate of workers running away after their contracts expire. The reason is that a number of Korean businesses and business owners want to use Vietnamese workers but do not want to spend money on labor introduction and recruitment services. Taking advantage of the Vietnamese mentality of wanting to stay after their contracts expire, instead of encouraging Vietnamese to return home to complete the renewal procedures, these businesses assist and shelter workers who run away to work abroad.

Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan - Director of Provincial Employment Service Center:"Because there is no cost for re-entry procedures and employers do not have to pay for introduction and selection fees for employers, employers pay quite high salaries. Now the Korean government is taking strong action, even giving rewards for reporting businesses that harbor and use illegal labor, so the risk of Vietnamese workers being discovered and arrested is getting greater."

Consequences and solutions to reduce runaway workers?

A report by the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Nghe An province shows that as of early March 2023, the whole province had 1,770 illegal workers in Korea, of which 372 workers did not return home from 2020-2021 and 1,524 workers whose contracts expired had to return home in 2020-2021.

However, after the mobilization, only a few workers returned home and because the rate of workers not returning home on time in Nghe An is still quite high (accounting for 24.41%). Specifically, among the 5 localities, Nghi Loc is at the top with 295 workers who have run away and not returned, Nam Dan 207 workers, Vinh City 194 workers, Cua Lo Town 192 workers and Hung Nguyen 136 workers. Nghi Loc, Hung Nguyen and Cua Lo districts have a high rate of workers not returning home on time, respectively 29.03%; 46.55% and 28.97% so the other side announced to temporarily stop receiving them...

The demand for labor export registration in Korea from Nghe An workers is very large, but currently each year the country only receives 1,200 - 1,300 people. Illustration photo: Nguyen Hai

The situation of workers running away after the end of their contracts has caused huge consequences. According to the announcement of the Korean side, any worker who voluntarily reports before February 28, 2023 will be supported by the Korean side with the cost of a plane to return home; after March 1, 2023, the Korean Government will organize inspections and raids. When illegal workers are caught, they will be fined 300,000 Won (equivalent to 500 million VND) and may be considered for imprisonment...

Foreign employers cooperate with businesses and the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to a training facility in Nghe An to test the capacity of workers for export. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Images recently taken by some groups of Vietnamese workers in Korea also show that the police force of this country has organized very strict inspections and raids. There was a case where Vietnamese workers (suspected of running away) were rushed in by the police force as soon as they arrived at the restaurant for lunch, checked their identification papers and escorted them away.

According to the Department of Overseas Labor Management - Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, before taking strong measures, the Korean Government informed Vietnam and on that basis, from the third quarter of 2022,Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social AffairsVietnam has asked localities to organize propaganda and mobilize workers whose work permits have expired to return home. Therefore, since October 2022, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Nghe An and Hung Nguyen and Nghi Loc districts have organized many propaganda and mobilization campaigns, but the results have not been high.

Nghe An participates in a national online conference promoted by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs on the topic of reducing the number of Vietnamese workers fleeing abroad. Photo: Archive (Nghe An Newspaper)

The situation of runaway workers not only makes workers face very high legal risks, but also affects other workers who are currently being trained and prepared. Being accepted to work in Korea is not easy and is the desire of many workers because the working conditions and income are quite good compared to other markets.

Trained technical workers prepare to go to Korea to work. Photo: Nguyen Hai

To do this well, it is necessary to think along with the requirementsLocalities continue to propagate and mobilizeRunaway workers must declare and complete procedures to return home so that the local government can lift the suspension order. At the same time, families with children working abroad must sign a commitment with the local government; units preparing resources and recruiting workers must strengthen orientation education and strictly implement regulations on guarantee deposits...