Head of the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers Agency (BNP2TKI) Nusron Wahid. (ANTARA/HO/GTM)

Migrant Workers Agency: Indonesian workers in South Korea multiply in 2018

Indonesian Agency for the protection and placement of International Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI) on Tuesday announced the number of Indonesian workers in South Korea has multiplied in 2018, from 3,719 people in 2017 to 6,921.

According to the Agency, 36,000 Indonesian expatriates had enlisted as immigrant workers in South Korea on February 2019.

Chairman of BNP2TKI Nusron Wahid through a statement released said BNP2TKI together with South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS) always provide better services, particularly on facilitating visa applications and working permit. Wahid believed the two agencies’ good performance was one of the causes of the increase.

In the last two years the national agency had cut the duration on applying for visa and permits. Moreover, the agency also had accelerated the placement process for migrant workers, Wahid said.

The time taken for placements was used to be 448 days but now it only takes 84 days (Government-to-Government scheme). The agency also has successfully reduced the process under People-to-people scheme from 72 days to 40.

Previously, South Korean government announced its 2019’s job quotas for foreign workers on December last year. The government would welcome 56,000 foreign workers under EPS.

Under the EPS, foreign workers will hold an E-9 visa that allow them to stay and work in the country up to four years and 10 months. However, the E-9 visa holders cannot directly renew their visa when it expires. They have to break off at least 3 months and meet certain conditions to coming back to their previous job in Korea.

Source: https://en.antaranews.com/news/130542/indonesian-migrants-in-s-korea-increase-in-2018