Kazakhstan designated as Employment Permit System sending country

The labor ministry said Friday Kazakhstan had been designated as a sending country under South Korea's Employment Permit System, with the full-scale introduction of E-9 foreign workers from Kazakhstan planned for 2028.

A government-to-government memorandum of understanding for the program is planned, along with the establishment of a local Employment Permit System center, or EPS Center.

The Employment Permit System is the vehicle Korea uses to bring E-9 foreign workers into the country through agreements between governments. It excludes private-sector intervention, placing the introduction process under a system based on memorandums of understanding with sending countries.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor's assessment of Kazakhstan included a dedicated structure for government agencies and public institutions to handle sending work. The public-sector arrangement was cited as part of the basis for adding the country to the system.

Pre-employment education, an EPS Center and health-examination infrastructure were also part of the ministry's assessment. The review considered those resources together with the institutional structure for handling the sending side of the program in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan's willingness to cooperate on improvements to systems to prevent illegal stays was another element cited by the ministry. The commitment is part of the country's assessment alongside its government-led sending structure and support infrastructure.

Full-scale introduction of workers from Kazakhstan is planned for 2028. Kazakhstan's designation establishes its future role as a sending country in the program's planned rollout.