Korea ups Lankan job quota
Rasika SOMARATNE
* SL rated quality labour export
country
* Nearly 5,000 Korea bound Lankans
every year
South Korea enhanced the job quota offered to Sri Lankans by six
percent under its Employment Permit System for foreign workers and also
increased the salaries of the island’s migrant workers, as a reward for
good performance.
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Korean test progresses smoothly
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The 10th
Korean language proficiency test conducted Saturday and
yesterday progressed smoothly, SLBFE chairman Amal
Senalankadikara said.
It was conducted under the purview of the Examinations
Department.
Around 34,261 candidates sat for the exam. The marks obtained
will be used to choose 5,000 candidates.
They will be eligible to apply for jobs in Korea via the
Employment Permit System (EPS) agreed upon by the two
governments, Senalankadikara said.. According to SLBFE sources,
out of the chosen 5,000, around 3,500 will be offered jobs in
various industries and 1,500 in the fisheries sector.
The chosen candidates will have to pass a medical test and also
successfully complete the training provided by the SLBFE and
Korean trainers to be eligible for employment.
Ninety nine percent of those chosen from the 2010 test left for
jobs in Korea and 40 percent of those chosen from the test in
2011 (9,998) have left for jobs, SLBFE sources said.
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Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera who inspected
some centres where the 10th Korean Language Proficiency test was held
yesterday, told the media that in addition to enhanced job
opportunities, Sri Lankan workers in Korea earn salaries of over Rs
140,000 per month.
“Sri Lanka is rated as the top labour sending country to the South
Korean job market. However, a few years ago, the country faced the
ignominy of being kicked out of the Korean job market due to the high
number of complaints received against workers,” he said.
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and the Foreign
Employment Ministry at the time took swift remedial measures to arrest
the decline and improve the all round standard of workers and the
recruitment process, which paved the way for the country’s top ranking a
few years later, the minister said.
He said over 25,000 Sri Lankans are employed in South Korea with an
annual outflow exceeding 5,000.
“South Korea is a popular destination for Lankan migrant worker
aspirants due to high salaries and better working conditions. Korean
Human Resources Department Director General Kim See Tea in Sri Lanka to
inspect the conduct of the Korean Language Proficiency Test said Lankan
workers in Korean soil were very innovative and efficient compared to
some other countries,” the minister said.
SLBFE sources said Tea also commended the recruitment process and
described the conduct of the Korean language test in Sri Lanka as highly
transparent and well coordinated. |
