Finally doubts over sending Nepali labourers to South Korea has ended with the government sending an invitation to South Korea for final accord to be inked on December 10.
Following the cabinet’s approval yesterday, the ministry of labour and transport management (MoLTM) today sent a letter to the Korean labour ministry stating its readiness for signing two crucial technical accords of — Implementation Agreement and the Entrustment Agreement.
“We have sent an invitation as well as final draft of two accords to Seoul today,” confirmed Keshar Bahadur Baniya, director general at the department of labour and employment promotion, adding that signing of those accords will take place on December 10 in Kathmandu.
Baniya further said the selection of language institutes and curriculum will be finalised
by a ministry level meeting scheduled for Friday.
Hopeful Baniya also stated that Nepal will be able to send workers by early March next year, if everything goes as planned.
Nepal and South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on July 23 this year, which opened doors for Nepali workers to go to Korea to work under employment permit system (EPS).
However, delay in signing technical agreements including the implementing agreement — a detailed procedure and technical guidelines for recruiting workers — had raised doubts over utilising job quota allocated for 2007.
Nepal was originally given a quota of 5,000 workers to be sent in the year 2007. However, the delay in the final agreement could not make it possible and South Korea has later extended the deadline till March 2008.
As per the employment permit system, Nepal government would have to make all necessary arrangements such as providing training on Korean language and proper selection procedure before sending workers to South Korea that is considered to be one of the most lucrative destinations for Nepali migrant workers.
The technical accords will clearly spell all the process from setting criteria to training and selection to employing the workers.
The final agreement will also include ways of settling disputes along with labour rights, and perks and benefits that Nepali workers will enjoy.
