Kazakhstanis may officially obtain employment in South Korea
Almaty region governor Marat Sultangaziyev met with a Korean delegation to debate gaining access to legal employment opportunities in South Korea through the country’s Employment Permit System (EPS), Qazinform News Agency reports.
Kazakh Labor and Social Protection Vice Minister Viktoria Shegay and representatives of local executive bodies also attended the meeting.
Governor Sultangaziyev emphasized that the point at issue is not just about working abroad, but also about creating a clear and protected migration mechanism.
He said this will open the way for Kazakhstanis to work legally abroad, to receive valuable international experience and new professional skills. At the same time, for Kazakhstan, it means building a transparent and secure labor migration system.
The Korean delegation briefed on EPS, which operates in sectors facing labor shortages and is designed to legally attract foreign workers.
According to director of the mobile employment center of Almaty region Abylai Zuaida, talks are currently at the second stage. During the first stage, a memorandum was signed between the two countries. Kazakhstan’s readiness to send workers is now being assessed. To this end, the Korean delegation is visiting colleges and training centers to evaluate workforce preparation.
If all the requirements are met and negotiations succeed, a full memorandum will be signed.
If Kazakhstan joins the EPS, specialized training centers will open across the country to prepare workers for employment in South Korea.
The final decision will be made by an inter-ministerial commission once all preparatory stages are complete.
To note, South Korea is expected to accept 109,000 foreign seasonal workers this year.
Last August Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population Askarbek Yertayev held a meeting with South Korean ambassador Cho Tae-ick to discuss further steps towards Kazakhstan’s inclusion in South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS).
