Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistani Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah on Friday said the government is making efforts to send skilled manpower abroad for employment. Talking to Korean Ambassador Shin Un, who called on him here, the minister said over 3,500 workers have passed Korean Language Test to get employment in Korea, adding, the process to send them abroad is underway.
Secretary Ministry of Labour and Manpower Malik Asif Hayat and other officials of the Ministry were also present on the occasion. Khurshid Shah said the government is committed to alleviate poverty from the country and has planned to provide employment to maximum skilled and unskilled youth to Korea and other countries.
The Minister urged to enhance co-operation between both the countries in different fields like agriculture, fisheries and technical fields. The Korean Ambassador said that Pakistani labour force is very hard working and working honestly in Korea.
Korean government is providing equal benefits to the local and Pakistani labour, the ambassador added. He said that the stay of Pakistani workers has been enhanced from three year to five years and their economic conditions will further improve.
Official said that Korea is keen to import Pakistanis skilled workers as they (workers) are up to Korean standards and Korean Labour Ministry does not face problems from Pakistani labour as compared to labour from other countries like India and Sri Lanka.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked between the governments of Pakistan and Republic of Korea, he said only Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC), a public sector organisation, had been authorised to recruit, train and send Pakistani workers to Korea on work visa.
In this regard, official said OEC has arranged a number of courses for Pakistani workers about Korean language and culture, adding the tests were conducted under the supervision of the Human Recourse Department, Ministry of Labour Korea, he added. He said OEC has received a number of complaints that some private test centres and agents are charging huge amounts for conducting Korean language training test on pretext of sending them to Korea for employment.
Official advised the people to avoid unauthorised technical trade test centres and private agents who are misleading the people for employment in Korea. Over 7.5 million overseas Pakistanis working in various countries including United States, Canada, Europe, Middle East and Far East.