KATHMANDU: Employment Permit System (EPS) website, www.epsnepal.gov.np, is one of the most visited government websites in Nepal thanks to the ‘Korea craze’ among Nepalis.

The EPS website has been visited around 3,81,092 times since 2008. The site has two major attractions — labour contract (LC) and certificate of confirmation of visa issuance (CCVI) — for the job-seekers wishing to go to Korea. Nearly 80 per cent of visitors directly hit LC and CCVI, which has the names of new labour contracts and CCVIs received by the EPS section.

Of the two, LC section is the highest hit section with 59,623 hits in September 2008 when the labour contract process was at its peak. Only 739 visitors hit the section this April. The highest number of people visited CCVI section last July and the lowest this April. Around 33,850 people visited EPS site for CCVI in July 2008 and 986 this April.

The number of cancellations of LCs and CCVIs was higher in 2008 than this April. Around 88 contracts were cancelled in 2008 while the number was limited to 19 this year. Around 141 and 58 CCVIs were cancelled in 2008 and by the end of this April.

South Korea is one of the most preferred destination for Nepali migrant workers. Around 6,768 Nepali blue-collar jobseekers passed the Korean Language Test last year and 6,556 were listed in the roster of EPS Nepal but only 2,456 have left for Korea under the quota of 2008.

EPS has not yet opened 2009 quota though four months of the year have already passed. EPS Nepal office has been selecting people from the roster of 2008 and sending them at a snail’s pace. Though the section received 100 CCVIs in April, the last batch of 40 Nepalis left on April 27.