Tajikistan Sends First Workers to South Korea Under New Employment Permit System

Tajikistan has officially launched the overseas employment of its citizens in South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS), marking a new chapter in bilateral labor cooperation.

The first three Tajik workers have already departed for South Korea - a milestone achieved less than a year after the two nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding on October 31, 2024, The Caspian Post reports via Tajik media.

The initiative, implemented jointly with South Korea’s Human Resources Development Service (HRDK), is coordinated through the newly established EPS Center under Tajikistan’s Agency for Overseas Employment. Two rounds of the EPS-TOPIK exam, a Korean language and skills test, were held earlier this year, with 58 out of 263 candidates successfully qualifying for work opportunities in South Korea’s manufacturing and welding sectors.

Tajikistan’s swift progress stands out - other participating countries typically take two to three years to send their first group of workers. Under the EPS program, successful applicants receive E-9 work visas valid for up to five years, offering stable employment, social protections, and full labor rights.

Importantly, all recruitment is handled transparently and free of charge by Tajikistan’s Agency for Overseas Employment, ensuring that no intermediaries are involved.

With this milestone, Tajikistan becomes the 17th country to join the EPS network, strengthening economic ties with South Korea and creating new job opportunities for its citizens abroad.