1. Plan of actions:

(Filipinos, Korean employers)

Philippine Government/DOLE for the MOU agenda
Representatives of labor-sending countries in Korea (Labor Attaches’ Group)
Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea
Korean Government Officials (proponents)

Through media releases (Korea & Philippines), internet forum, radio interviews etc..

Calendar of Activities:

27  February / Hyehwadong Parish Coffee Shop/ 4 pm
Forum on EPS Extension of Term

 05 March / Filipino Center / 6.30 pm
Ad Hoc Committee Meeting

06 March / Hyehwadong Church/ 3.30 pm
Start of Signature Campaign

12 March / Philippine Embassy / 3 pm
Audience with Ambassador Cruz & Submission of Statement and Signatures

18 March
Meeting of ambassadors and labor attaches’ of Labor-sending countries

Dear Friends,

Attached are the statement for signature campaign and plan of action. Please send in your critique and assessment on the statement in order to enchance it. Please help find title/word/s to name/identify our statement.

We focus our campaign and appeal for a Different Reapplication Procedure and requirements for EPS workers, who after having legally finished their terms of sojourn in Korea intend to reapply for employment in Korea and avail the 4 years and 10 months term of stay as provided in the amended EPS law. 

At the forum conducted on Feb 27 we identified 3 possibilities: (1) Extension of Term, (2) Visa conversion from E-9 to F-2, and the (3) Formulation of different requirements for reapplicants to Korea, after having completed 6 years or 5 years term under the EPS.

However, during the brainstorming and discussion of the Ad Hoc Committee last meeting held on March 5 at the Filipino Center, we agreed to push for the appeal on the Formulation of Different Requirements for the following reasons:

1)  Extension of Term may entail another amendment at the National Assembly on the newly amended law, a remote possibility. If ever that remote amendment happens, are they going to give 2 or 3 more years of extension? At the current system as provided by the new amendment, the EPS can stay and work for up to 4 years and 10 months.

2)  On Visa conversion, there is already an existing policy on this. However, the requirements for one to avail of this are not easily accessible; they are for example: 20 million won asset, 29 million won annual income, and passing 3rd grade Korean examination etc.. Though these requirements are left to the pronouncement of the head of the Ministry of Justice, change in this direction may again be very remote.

3) Thus, the third option is more feasible, that is, the EPS worker, after having completed 6 or 4 years and 10 months term may reapply for work in Korea, as provided for in the amended law.  But the present application procedure and requirements seemed to be all designed for new applicants or first-timers.  So a suitable/different procedure and set of requirements are necessary to be in place, such as endorsement by their Korean employers which proves the worker's skills in the job and language, exemptions from strict age limitation and Korean language test, and shorter period of waiting for reentry to Korea. A different system should be designed to expedite the reentry of this type of workers to Korea.  This is the focus of our appeal and campaign.

The group also noted that it is not the length of one's stay in Korea that matter's most, but how one manages his income while he is in Korea. There is then a need to emphasize Reintegration programs and to respond to other issues to enable the workers achieve a more fruitful stay in Korea.

Please send your opinions and comments to sharpen our common position on the issue at hand. You may also give your assessments on the plans of action.  It is through asking of pertinent questions that we can arrive at greater clarity and better ideas.

fr alvin