The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced that the registration schedule of the 6^th Employment Permit System- Korean Language Test (EPS-KLT) will happen on April 6 to 8. The POEA will conduct the registration in cooperation with the Human Resource Development Service of Korea, the new test agency that was given accreditation by the government of Korea to conduct the examination.

The EPS-KLT is an important prerequisite for Filipino workers who wants to work in Korea. Only those who will pass the Korean Language Test will be included in the list of workers that will be employed in the manufacturing sector of South Korea.

According to the POEA Chief, Jennifer Jardin-Manalili, their agency and the HRD Korea will be in special designated areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao from April 6 to 8 to conduct registration. They are yet to announce other details about the registration such as time and place.

The date of the actual examination is expected to be announced by the HRD Korea on March 29. This is a much awaited development after both parties reached agreements in implementing the EPS.

Who Can Register?

• Applicants who are registered and active in the POEA online manpower registry as of March 31, 2010
• Applicants that meet the minimum qualification requirements
• Test fee of USD17 or Php 810
• Not more than 38 years old
• At least one year work experience
• Presentation of valid documents such as passport.

The test fee was significantly reduced from the previous USD30 charge. Manalili als discouraged workers with a record of staying and working illegally in Korea from sending an application because they will surely be disqualified, as Korean laws states that they are not eligible for E9 visa category.

Filipinos who intend to take the examination are also reminded to study the EPS-KLT Reviewer that was given by the HRD/Ministry of Labor of Korea and can be downloaded at the POEA website.

In the past an applicant who gets a minimum of 120 points gets a passing mark, but for this year, there is a new qualifying system for the exam. Only the applicants who will get at least 80 points out of the 50 test items on reading and listening examination, and who are in the top 3,000 passers will pass and be included in the Roster of Jobseekers.

However Manalili informed, “Being in the roster of pre-qualified applicants, however, is not a guarantee for employment as employers would have specific job requirements in hiring their workers.”