Vietnamese labourers arriving in the Republic of Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS) in 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo

SEOUL — Since mid-2022, Việt Nam’s relevant agencies stepped up training in an effort to increase the number of workers sent to the Republic of Korea (RoK).

The Korean Ministry of Employment and Labour said the country had plans to employ about 110,000 migrant workers this year at farms and factories, but some businesses believed even more would be needed.

Apart from raising the number of guest workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS), Việt Nam has also discussed with Korea loosening conditions to make it easier for shipbuilders to enter the RoK.

Việt Nam’s labour management board in the RoK has also coordinated with the Việt Nam EPS Labour Management Office and support centres for guest workers to diversify communication and support activities.

Last year, Việt Nam sent nearly 9,000 workers to the RoK under the EPS programme, out of 70,000 set for 16 selected countries.

Head of the EPS Việt Nam Office in the RoK Phạm Minh Đức said up to 10,000 Vietnamese guest workers were expected to be sent to the RoK this year.

The office would coordinate with the labour management board and the Vietnamese embassy in the RoK to provide training for the workers, helping them quickly integrate into the host society.

Joint efforts would also be made to popularise the Korean laws among the guest workers, and more measures would be taken to support them, he said.

After the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday, the Việt Nam Centre for Overseas Labour helped send 138 workers to the RoK, and received dossiers of nearly 6,000 others that satisfy Korean language requirements. — VNS