Korea trainee system abolished, OFWs should avoid overstaying
- 2007 POEA Advisory
Korea has abolished the Alien Industrial Trainee System and stopped
issuing trainee visas effective January 1, 2007. Dr. Yong-Dal Kim,
President of Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea) said
Philippine licensed agencies formerly hiring trainees for Korea can no
longer recruit workers under the trainee scheme.
Korean employers could only get foreign workforce legally through the
Employment Permit System (EPS) with the participation of other sending
countries which include Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Mongolia,
Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and the Philippines.
Private recruitment agencies are not authorized to participate in
implementation of the EPS and he asked the cooperation of the POEA to
maintain such system. The POEA is the only government organization
authorized to implement the EPS in the country.
Filipinos working as industrial trainees in Korea are advised to come back
to the Philippines upon expiration of their contract and re-apply under
the Employment Permit System (EPS) instead of going illegal.
According Dr. Yong-Dal Kim, a huge number of overstaying workers will
affect the labor quota that will be given to the Philippines under the
Employment Permit System.
Former trainees who wish to continue working legally in Korea can register
with the POEA. They should pass the Korean Language Test (KLT) and the
medical requirements for inclusion in the Roster of Jobseekers to have
another chance to be hired by Korean employers. Former trainees should,
however, wait for at least six months before they could go back to work in
Korea. Employers will face stiff penalty for employing illegal foreign
workers in Korea.
