Kathmandu- The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has taken a series of decisions aimed at addressing long-standing concerns of candidates who passed the Employment Permit System (EPS) examinations for South Korea-bound employment but have not yet received work opportunities.
According to the ministry, the government will formally approach the South Korean government through diplomatic channels to request an extension of the validity period of the existing EPS roster. The move comes after many qualified candidates were left without employment opportunities due to the expiration or limitations of the current roster despite having passed the exams.
The ministry has acknowledged that the current roster ceiling has deprived several EPS-qualified individuals of the chance to go to South Korea for work. In response, it has also decided to initiate diplomatic efforts to increase the quota of Nepali workers sent to South Korea under the EPS framework.
In addition, the ministry will form a task force to study and recommend measures to ensure greater transparency and fairness in the EPS process. The task force will focus on issues such as how personal details of roster-listed candidates are shared with Korean employers and whether the selection process is being conducted in an impartial manner.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour, Pitambar Ghimire, said the ministry has already begun efforts to implement the decisions taken at the ministerial level on January 2. He added that the government is committed to protecting the rights and interests of Nepali workers who have fulfilled all formal requirements but remain without overseas employment opportunities.
The decisions are expected to provide relief to thousands of EPS exam passers and strengthen Nepal’s labour cooperation framework with South Korea.
