South Korea is the new destination for Filipino skilled workers since the Philippines and South Korean government under the Employment Permit System (EPS) has assigned 10,000 slots for Filipino workers to work in their manufacturing, construction, agriculture/livestock, fisheries and services sectors in 2006.

“For its manufacturing industry, Korea allocated 9,100; for fisheries sector, 500; construction, 150; agriculture, 200; and 50 for its services sector. But for now, Korea is hiring factory workers only,” said Baldoz.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz denied that their agency is sending Filipina entertainers in Korean under EPS since Japan has tightened its immigration policy.

She also denied the statement that about 50% of the number of entertainers who worked in Japan has been deployed in South Korea to work in establishments near American military bases with three months to six months contracts.

The administrator said that effective February 2003, the Korean Ministry of Justice decided to stop issuing E-6 visas or entertainer’s visa for dancers and singers wishing to work in bars and night clubs, especially those that are located near the American military facilities in Korea. The decision aims to extremely reduce or eradicate illegal trafficking of women into Korea for prostitution and for other similar illegal purposes.

In the press release issued by the POEA states that only entertainers bound for major and deluxe hotels and qualified art troupes will be granted the E-6 visa. Filipino singers who are holders of ARBs and musicians with contracts duly verified by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Seoul and processed by the POEA will be among those who may be issued the visa.

The POEA re-opened the registration for EPS but it is only offered for male applicants age raging from 18 to 38 years old. Applicants who are high school graduates or college undergraduates are required to have at least two years of work experience while college graduate applicants are required to have at least one-year experience. Must not have any criminal records both in the Philippines and Korea, not restricted from re-entering Korea and physically and mentally fit to work.

The registration for the next Korean Language Test (KLT) will be conducted in Manila, Cebu and Davao. The Philippines was allocated a quota of 7,000 male and 500 female applicants to take the tests. The agency will soon announce the official registration period.