Kazakh citizens may soon have easier access to jobs in South Korea

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan is in talks to join South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS), a government program that allows foreign nationals to legally work in the country.
First Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Askarbek Yertaev discussed the matter during a meeting with the South Korean Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Cho Tae-Ick.
According to the vice minister, Kazakhstan is taking steps to ensure the legal, safe, and orderly employment of its citizens in South Korea. The labor ministry’s press service reported that Askarbek Yertaev and Cho Tae-Ick agreed to strengthen cooperation on this initiative.
What is EPS?
The Employment Permit System (EPS) is a government-run program in South Korea that enables foreign workers to legally work in industries experiencing labor shortages.
Launched in 2004, the program is managed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea.
Who can apply?
Participants must:

Be citizens of countries that have signed a bilateral EPS agreement with South Korea (including the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, and others);Be between 18 and 39 years of age;
Be in good health with no criminal record;
Have no history of immigration violations in Korea;
Pass a Korean language test (TOPIK or EPS-TOPIK).

The EPS program is designed for unskilled and semi-skilled workers, typically in the following sectors:

Manufacturing
Agriculture
Fishing
Construction
Service industry

Contracts usually last one year and can be extended up to a maximum of 4 years and 10 months — just under the threshold that would allow a worker to automatically qualify for permanent residency.
It’s worth noting that in March of last year, South Korea’s ambassador to Kazakhstan, Cho Tae-Ick, expressed hope that Kazakhstan would join the EPS program in 2024.
Employment in South Korea: What we know about the new system for Kazakhstan citizens