In cooperation with the Human Resources Development Service (HRD Korea), the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is calling on workers wishing to work in South Korea to prepare early for the processing of application under the Korean Employment Permit System (EPS).

Passing a Korean Language Test (KLT) is an important step before applicants can qualify to be included in the List of Jobseekers from which Korean employers can electronically select workers to be offered jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors under the foreign labor quota for 2010. Applicants are advised to deal only with the POEA and to follow the prescribed procedures to be announced. This includes ensuring that they are registered with the electronic manpower registry of the POEA (www.poea.gov.ph) on or before the deadline of 15 January 2009. Previously registered applicants should keep their account active and updated which means that they should have visited their account for the last three (3) months or less. In order to qualify, the applicant should also comply with the following requirements: 18 to 38 years old At least high school graduate Passport is valid for at least 6 months Has no criminal/imprisonment record Not restricted to travel to Korea due to past immigration violation Payment pf KLT fee of Php850 or US$17 payable to HRD Korea Submission of 2x2 ID pictures with name tag (2 pieces). The application period for the EPS-KLT is on January 25 to 29 while selected registration venues in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will be announced later. The exmination is targeted either on the last Sunday of February or first Sunday of March 2010. The EPS-KLT will cover 50 items divided into reading (40 minutes) and listening (30 minutes) to be taken from the pool of questions in the EPS-KLT Reviewer of HRD Korea. Each correct answer is equivalent to 4 points. An applicant needs at least 80 points and above to pass the EPS-KLT. No formal Korean language training is required and the EPS-KLT Reviewer with answer keys is downloadable from the POEA website. The last EPS-KLT was conducted on 6 May 2007 with Php1500 or US$30 as the test fee.