QuestionsQuestions (POEA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 01)
It is issued pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the DOLE and the Ministry of Labor (MOL) of Korea dated 20 October 2006. The POEA implements the recruitment and deployment guidelines for Korean EPS under that MOU.
Applicants must be not more than 38 years old and at least High School graduates.
High school graduates must have at least two (2) years work experience in any kind of work; college graduates must have at least one (1) year work experience in any kind of work.
They include: valid passport (xerox copy accepted upon presentation of original), original NBI clearance, 2x2 colored pictures (2 pcs.), copy/ies of employment certificate/s, and school diploma (photocopy accepted upon presentation of original). Training/skills certification is optional.
Applicants must be able-bodied and physically fit with no deformities and no vision/hearing impairment; they must not be restricted from departure from the Philippines (no pending criminal or administrative records); and they must not be restricted to enter Korea based on Korean Immigration records.
Active registration is valid for one (1) year only. Applicants must update their profile online at least once every quarter; otherwise, their profiles are automatically moved to the inactive POEA EPS registry.
Registration can be done at all POEA offices (central/regional/satellite) or offsite registration centers authorized by POEA. The registration system is accessible online at all registration sites and all complete submissions are encoded into the POEA-EPS database.
KLT is administered in the Philippines by the International Korean Language Foundation (IKLF), accredited by MOL Korea. Test dates and sites are determined by MOL Korea in coordination with POEA and are announced in newspapers and POEA/IKLF websites.
An examination fee of US$30.00 is paid in peso equivalent based on the current foreign exchange rate, to the local bank account of IKLF.
EPS KLT certificates are valid for two (2) years.
Medical tests are conducted within ten (10) days after the announcement of test results. No employer’s waiver or other remarks are accepted for medical findings of PTB, Hepatitis, and VDRL.
Workers’ profiles stay in the HRD Korea roster for one (1) year. If not selected within one year from approval of their inclusion in the roster, applicants should re-apply to be in the active roster again.
Offers are sent electronically by HRD Korea and downloaded by POEA via the EPS website daily, including key employment terms. Selected applicants must report personally to POEA within seven (7) days from receipt of advice or from posting of the list on the POEA website to signify acceptance or refusal.
Applicants may refuse an offer once for “incongruent work experience” and still remain in the active HRD roster. Refusal for the second time results in delisting from the EPS roster at HRD Korea.
Upon acceptance, the employer applies for a work permit; HRD Korea applies to Korean Immigration for visa issuance. HRD Korea transmits to POEA an electronic copy of the Certificate of Confirmation for Visa Issuance (CCVI), valid for three (3) months. The worker must enter Korea within two (2) months upon issuance of CCVI. Then POEA applies for the E-9 work visa via submission of a “Fit to Work” medical certificate and payment of specified fees, plus required documents like the preliminary training completion certificate, signed Standard Labor Contract, and signed visa application form.
Modules include: (1) Korean Language and Culture (TESDA, OWWA, POEA; 20 hours; P400), (2) Industrial Safety (OSHO; 7 hours; P329), (3) EPS Orientation (POEA; 3 hours; free), and (4) Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar or PDOS (OWWA; 4 hours; free).
Perfect attendance in all preliminary training modules is mandatory; otherwise, no certificate of completion shall be issued to workers with incomplete attendance.
Cancellation grounds include delay in visa processing caused by the worker (incomplete preliminary training, failure to pay processing fees/airfare, medical reasons), withdrawal by the worker, cancellation by employer due to financial/management difficulties or hiring beyond quota, and concealment/failure to disclose prior negative Korean immigration records. Effects: If attributable to employer, the worker remains in the EPS roster and HRD Korea introduces the worker to other employers. If due to delay of entry and addressed to HRD Korea’s satisfaction, reinstatement occurs after one (1) year subject to registration compliance. If it is worker withdrawal, the worker is automatically deleted from the EPS roster of jobseekers.