Under the new provision, Korea has increased the visa period to five years and allowed the workers employed under Employment Permit System (EPS) to shift to more than three employers during the contract period. Previously, workers were required to return to their homeland in three years and they could switch jobs only for three times.
The new move of the Korean government has opened opportunities for the migrant workers appointed under the EPS to work for additional two employers. This will directly benefit some 3,500 Nepalis, who have been employed in Korea since Nepal and Korea signed EPS agreement in 2007.
The new changes in visa policy came after Korea launched a crackdown on illegal immigrants and deported a huge number of illegal workers over the last three months. The crackdown caused manpower shortages in mainly small and medium industries.
To cope with the shortage of workers, Korea has extended the visa period and allowed the workers to change companies if need be.
The change in provision allowing switching jobs for higher instances will mainly relieve the Nepali workers who have become jobless. According to reports, a large number of Nepalis have gone jobless as companies that recruited them had closed down operations due to adverse impact of financial crisis and legally they could not switch employers.
“But now employers can hire the workers for additional two years, if they deemed necessary to fight workforce shortage,” local media reported Wednesday, quoting Korean Labor Ministry.
However, the workers completing three years of contract period have to return to their home countries, if the employers fail to retain them for further period.
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