The South Korean government will now allow the entry of workers from Pakistani and four other countries as the government takes initiatives to normalize life amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the meeting on Friday, President of Human Resource Development Department, ROK, Uh Soo-bong, and Pakistan Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (ROK), Mumtaz Zahra Baloch discussed the welfare of Pakistani E-9 workers and the future of the EPS system.
Uh Soo-bong told the Pakistani Ambassador that the government has decided to lift visa restrictions on foreign workers (E-9 visa category) under the Employment Permit System (EPS). The move will pave way for Pakistani workers to enter the Republic of Korea.
Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) also announced on Nov. 5 the Korean government’s plan to ease the restrictions on the entry of foreign workers. The move comes as the country seeks ways to normalize life in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
South Korea last year imposed a ban on the entry of foreign workers due to the pandemic. This led to a shortage of workers for the local companies.
Under the new rules, workers from Pakistan, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Philippines will be able to get visas two weeks after getting fully vaccinated with World Health Organization (WHO)-approved vaccines in their countries. All these countries were previously classified high-risk by the South Korean government.
Further, these workers will be tested for a negative PCR test result at hospitals designated by the Korean Embassy, within 72 hours before boarding their flight to South Korea.
Pakistan is one of the sending countries to South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS). EPS is a government-to-government program under which Korean companies are allowed to hire workers from other countries in numerous sectors including agriculture, fishery, construction, and manufacturing.
Zahra Baloch thanked the Korean government for facilitating the stay and welfare of Pakistani workers in the country.