Workers attend a Korean language test before going to work in South Korea. Photo for illustration. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Kiều

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has approved a pilot scheme which requires domestic workers to make deposits before departing to work in the Republic of Korea.

Vietnamese guest workers heading to work in the RoK under the Employment Permit System (EPS) programme will be required to make a pre-departure deposit worth VNĐ100 million (US$4,239) to guarantee their return to Việt Nam after their contract expires.
The new policy forms part of measures to prevent Vietnamese migrant workers from overstaying their contracts in the RoK.
The workers must pay the deposit at the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) within 35 days of signing a contract for employment in the RoK.
Prospective workers can take out a loan of up to VNĐ100 million from the VPSP to make the deposit without loan security.
The deposit will be refunded to the workers upon the liquidation of the contract. The workers will lose the deposit if they flee from their workplace or try to illegally stay in South Korea after their contracts end or their duration of stay is expired. 

The policy will be effective from May 15 this year until the revised law on Vietnamese guest workers working abroad under contracts takes effect. — VNS