Pokhara, May 1

Around 10,000 youths have submitted their forms for the language test of Korea’s Employment Permission System (EPS) from the lake city this year.

Of them, almost 1,000 are female candidates.

Handsome remuneration and comparatively less investment lure many youths to South Korea for employment, said Pokhara Labour Office Chief Bharat Kafle. According to him, as many as 9,642 forms have been submitted to the office so far.

EPS Korea Branch, under the Department of Foreign Employment, had started to manage form collection and the language test from Pokhara from last year.

Similarly, aspiring employees from Butwal have also submitted their forms. At least five form collection centres were set up in the capital city along with one each in Butwal, Pokhara, Dharan, Janakpur and Dadeldhura.

“As many as 3,100 examinees will be sent to Korea under the EPS,” said EPS Korea Branch Director Dilli Ram Bastola.

As many as 35,800 youths have already left the country for Korea, which is said to be a lucrative employment destination. Only those applicants having MRPs are allowed to submit their test form this year.

The question papers for the test is sent from South Korea with 200 full marks and HRD Korea examines the answer sheets. “Though South Korea is preparing to take Nepali workers, especially for agriculture and animal husbandry, we have requested to employ them in the construction sector as well,” said Director Bastola.

However, not all applicants who pass the language test are necessarily sent to Korea.

Aspirant employees will be sent there within two years as per the demand of the employing companies. The government of Nepal and Korea signed an agreement on EPS and language test in 2008.