Launched in 2004, the EPS aims to help small and medium-sized companies solve their labour shortages. It allows employers who have failed to hire native workers to legally hire an adequate number of foreign workers. It is a system that the Korean government introduced to manage foreign workers in the RoK in an organized manner.

Vietnam was one of the first six countries to send workers to the RoK under the programme, which now covers 16 nations with Vietnam topping the list, accounting for 134,655 out of more than 1 million foreign workers in the RoK.

Ngô Thị Út Luân (right) from HCM City receives the award for successful entrepreneurship under the EPS programme. — VNA/VNS

Speaking at a recent conference marking the 20th anniversary of the EPS, RoK Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung-sik affirmed the success of the program, saying it should be improved to ensure safety standards in the industrial environment, with training, employment and residence support for qualified foreigners. For 20 years, the ESP has helped more than one million people from 16 countries find jobs in ROK, of which Việt Nam takes the largest portion with about 135,000 workers. Vietnamese workers have earned high praise from Republic of Korea (ROK) employers under the Employment Permit System (EPS), according to officials.

In an interview with Vietnam News Agency's reporter, Lim Seung Mook, Vice President of the ROK's Human Resources Development Service (HRDS), emphasised the critical role foreign workers play in sustaining the country's economy amid its aging population and shrinking workforce.

He also revealed that Vietnamese workers had earned a stellar reputation among Korean employers. Their ability to integrate quickly and adapt to the working environment makes them highly sought-after for both initial recruitment and re-employment.
The EPS program has achieved many successes, contributing to solving the serious shortage of human resources of small- and medium-sized enterprises in RoK as well as bringing many opportunities and benefits to foreign workers, including Vietnamese workers.

With thousands of Korean companies in Việt Nam, there is also potential for post-ESP Vietnamese workers to return home and contribute to Việt Nam's growth, while maintaining ties with their Korean employers.

At HTM, an auto parts manufacturer in Gyeonggy Province, ROK, seven Vietnamese workers are on the payroll.

HTM Director Mil Pil Hong holds them in high regard. He cited their sincerity, open-mindedness and attention to detail, as the key factors behind the absence of technical errors and workplace accidents in his factories.

There has been an increasing number of ESP workers who are not only excelling in their jobs, but also becoming successful entrepreneurs upon returning home.

Recognising these success stories, HRDS has organised annual contests for returning ESP workers. Việt Nam has shone brightly in recent years, with Ngô Thị Út Luân winning the top prize in 2024 for her thriving business venture back home.

At the award ceremony marking the programme's 20th anniversary, Ngô Thị Út Luân shared her inspiring journey.

Returning to Việt Nam in 2013 after her initial contract ended, her language skills allowed her to re-enter ROK on an E7 visa, reserved for highly-skilled professionals.

Years later, she eventually transitioned to an F2 visa, which signifies long-term residency. Her efforts also led to her membership in the Korea-Việt Nam Business Association in 2016.

She returned to Việt Nam again in 2019 and founded her first business back home one year later. Now, she has three companies with nearly 30 workers on the payroll.

She encouraged her fellow countrymen to make the most of their time in ROK by learning the language and embracing the culture.

With this long-term commitment, she believed Vietnamese workers could return home to become successful entrepreneurs and contribute significantly to Việt Nam's growth.

As ROK's industries evolve, the demand for skilled foreign workers is expected to grow. With their proven track record, Vietnamese workers are well-positioned to play an even greater role in ROK's economy. 
According to the Department of Overseas Labour under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Vietnam sent more than 78,000 workers abroad in the first half of this year, fulfilling 62.4% of the yearly target.
The RoK is currently one of the traditional markets that receive a significant number of Vietnamese workers. It has become a preferred market for many Vietnamese workers who wish to go there for employment in recent years, thanks to cultural similarities between the two countries, along with its high incomes, reasonable exit fees, and relatively good working conditions.

Vietnam currently has approximately 66,300 workers employed in the RoK through four cooperation channels, namely the Employment Permit Program - EPS (E9 visa), skilled technical workers (E7 visa), crew members on fishing vessels (E10 visa), and seasonal workers (C4 and E8 visas).

Most workers go to the RoK to work under the Korean government’s EPS program and for technical labour cooperation under the E7 visa, with work durations extending beyond five years.

Workers under the EPS program are engaged in five different sectors, namely manufacturing, construction, agriculture, fisheries, and shipbuilding. They receive a good salary, approximately over KWR2 million (equivalent to about VND36 million), said Dang Huy Hong, director of the Department of Overseas Labour (DOLAB) under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA).

Recently, the Department of Overseas Labour and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea) conducted the first round of the Korean language test for 2024, choosing 15,367 candidates to work in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and fisheries under the ESP program.

According to Kim Yoon-hye, employment attaché at the RoK Embassy in Vietnam, the RoK’s demographic structure will change significantly in the future,, and the RoK government will likely need to accept more foreign workers, including those under the E9 visa, unskilled workers, as well as skilled workers, international students, and flexible transitions between these types of visas.

In the future, Vietnamese workers will therefore have even more opportunities to work in the RoK, said Kim.