Islamabad, March 20, 2026 – The Europe Today/GNP: The Pakistan EPS Center and the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding employment opportunities for Pakistani workers in South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS).
During recent discussions, officials from both sides reviewed future plans to increase the dispatch of Pakistani workers while addressing key challenges in recruitment and selection. The initiative operates under the supervision of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea.
Officials highlighted that South Korean employers prefer candidates with strong Korean language proficiency, as it enhances workplace integration, improves productivity, and reduces the risk of industrial accidents. The EPS Center expressed optimism that a growing pool of highly skilled and linguistically proficient Pakistani workers would strengthen the country’s standing among employers.
The recruitment process under EPS remains fully automated and strictly merit-based. Candidates are shortlisted through a computerized system that recommends three applicants per vacancy, with final hiring decisions made solely by employers. Authorities stressed that the process is transparent and cannot be influenced by any external entity or individual.
Under the points-based system, applicants are ranked based on their performance in the Korean language test and skills competency assessment. From this year, the minimum passing score for the language test in the manufacturing sector has been increased to 60 points. While the technical skills assessment will be simplified, greater emphasis will be placed on interviews to enhance candidate evaluation.
Addressing concerns over delays in job referrals, officials noted that candidates who have remained longer in the selection pool are given priority during employer matching. However, they acknowledged that the pace of worker dispatch has slowed recently due to quota adjustments by South Korea’s Foreign Workforce Policy Committee, following a surge in arrivals after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EPS Center further clarified that, aside from variations in industry demand, all participating countries are subject to the same recruitment standards and procedures under the system.
