The South Korean government has relaxed the COVID-19 curbs and will allow workers from the Philippines to travel into the country.
The South Korean country will now allow the entry of foreign workers (E-9 visa category) under the Employment Permit System (EPS) from the Philippines and four other countries.
Earlier in an announcement made on November 5, Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) said that South Korea will ease the restrictions on the entry of foreign workers as the country implements plans to normalize life amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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According to the labor ministry before the COVID-19 pandemic about 50,000 workers were allowed to enter the country every year but the number has dropped to 6,000 to 7,000 resulting in a labor shortage in industries in South Korea.
By October 2021 about 50,000 foreign workers with employment permits were waiting in their home countries to enter South Korea due to restrictions.
As per the new rules, workers from the Philippines, Myanmar, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, countries classified by South Korea as high-risk, will be able to get visas 14 days after getting fully vaccinated with World Health Organization (WHO)-approved vaccines in their countries.
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These workers also need to produce negative PCR test results conducted at hospitals designated by the Korean Embassy within 72 hours before boarding their flight to South Korea.
The workers from 11 countries of Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Laos, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Bangladesh and Indonesia will be allowed to enter South Korea with a negative PCR test result and regardless of their vaccination status. (AW)
