KATHMANDU, Jan 2: Frustration is mounting among young job seekers who have passed the language and skills tests under the Employment Permit System (EPS), as delays in deployment to South Korea continue despite years of waiting. The aggrieved youths have intensified their protests, demanding immediate action from the authorities.
On Wednesday, protesters surrounded the EPS Korea branch office in Gwarko, and on Thursday they took their demands directly to the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security. They said they were left with no choice but to return to the streets after remaining stranded on the EPS roster for more than two years, despite clearing all required examinations.
More than 200 youths participated in the demonstration, chanting slogans and accusing authorities of leaving their futures in limbo. Despite passing the language and skills tests long ago, the absence of employment contracts with Korean employers has pushed many into deep uncertainty, they said.
This is not their first protest. Just two months ago, the same group staged demonstrations at the EPS office over deployment delays. Although an agreement was reached with the labour ministry at the time, protesters claim it has yet to be implemented.
The CIAA has failed us
Out of 163,000 candidates who sat for the EPS language test conducted for 2025, only 17,030 passed. However, most successful candidates have still been unable to travel to South Korea due to the lack of contracts with employers. Prolonged waiting, they said, has worsened financial stress, mental strain, and family pressures.
The protesters are demanding that workers who have already passed the exams be prioritised for deployment before new advertisements are issued or additional exams conducted. They are also calling for an extension of roster validity, provisions for sector changes, and the timely forwarding of their files to Korean employers.
According to Binda Acharya, director of the EPS Korea Section, many of the demands raised cannot be resolved by the Nepal government alone. She said the concerns have been formally conveyed to the South Korean government.
“The demands raised by the youths are related to the Korean side,” Acharya said. “The Nepal government has already forwarded these issues to Korea, and we have received a positive response.”
Nepal remains the largest source country for workers under the EPS, with applications far exceeding South Korea’s labour demand. However, Acharya clarified that passing the language test—while mandatory—does not guarantee employment.
“Candidates are placed on a roster after passing the language test,” she said. “Employers select workers from that list based on their needs. So not everyone who passes the test is assured a job.” She added that even skilled candidates may miss out if they are not prioritised by employers.
Nepal and South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding on the EPS in 2007, and Nepali workers began travelling to South Korea in 2008. At present, more than 100,000 Nepalis are working in South Korea.
Data from the EPS Korea Section show that around 9,200 Nepalis went to South Korea under the system in 2024. In 2025, the number rose to about 11,200. Still, the fate of thousands of candidates waiting on the roster remains uncertain.
Despite ongoing coordination between the Nepali and South Korean governments, a key question remains: when will the long wait for exam-passed workers finally end?
