MOEL issues experience certificates abroad from JUL 15

MOEL issues experience certificates abroad from Jul. 15.

Starting from July 15, any foreign worker who returns home after working in Korea under the Employment Permit System can receive a work experience certificate over the internet in his/her home country. In the past, foreign workers had to visit job centers during their sojourn in Korea to be issued with work experience certificates. Now foreign workers can obtain such certificates through EPS website (www.eps.go.kr) in their home countries as well as in Korea and use them for local employment. * No. of work experience certificates issued : 95 in H2 2010, 175 in H1 2011 * Changes in the experience certificate issuance system Before improvement After improvement (since Jul. 15, 2011) Direct visit Job centers Branches of HRD Korea EPS centers (after returning home) Over the Internet - EPS website in English and other foreign languages If a foreign worker wants to obtain a work experience certificate in person, he/she should visit a branch of HRD Korea in Korea or an EPS center in his/her sending country. "The new experience certificate issuance service is launched to make it easier for foreign workers to find work and start up business based on their work experience in Korea," said Lee Jae-gap, the Deputy Minister of the Employment Policy Office. "The government will continue to take support measures for returnees. For instance, we will offer local skills training and business start-up training* to foreign workers returning home after employment in Korea, provide them with local job information and job placement services** and give preferential treatment to well-behaved foreign workers whose reemployment period has expired."    * Local skills training and business start-up training will be provided to 100 Vietnamese returnees on a pilot basis from September.   ** The government had organized job placement events for returnees in sending countries. However, it held an event in Seoul and Busan from June 25 to 26, 2011 to connect 420 Mongolian returnees seeking jobs with 15 Mongolian firms looking for workers.