CNI News

15 July 2023

South Korea will apply a policy that foreign workers, including Myanmar, will be restricted from working outside the designated regions starting from September, said the people helping migrant workers in South Korea.

In the past, foreign workers were able to work in any regions in South Korea if they were matched with their documents. 

While most of foreign workers tend to seek jobs in cities only anymore, factories in remote areas are facing with a scarcity of workers. So, foreign workers have been restricted like that reportedly.  

Foreign workers are finding it difficult due to the restriction, said Ko Khant Ne Kyi, in charge of the Se Center for Supporting Migrants and Migrates in Busan to CNI News.

"Even If you are allowed to change the worksite, you can't work at the places outside the city or region where  your company is located. You must work at the place designated whether you are satisfied or not. So, there will probably be rights violations. Although some workers left current jobs because they want to go to better places, those who are really difficult to go on working at the current place suffer more." he said.

In the past, a worker had to secretly give the reason why he wanted to change the worksite to the new employer and according to the restriction, a worker must give the reason why he wants to change the worksite to the new employer reportedly.

A crowded subway station in Seoul

Due to political instabilities in Myanmar since 2021, Myanmar people have been going abroad for jobs and further studies than in the past and the number of Myanmar people who want to go to South Korea has increased. Currently, Myanmar people studying Korean have become more than pre-Covid period and those who will go to work and those who will go to work, doing further studies have increased reportedly.

" Currently, many people are interested in further studies in South Korea and because South Korea's EPS (Employment Permit System) has called more people from Myanmar, many people have left for South Korea. Like in the past, if the youths could go to the university, they might not go abroad. Due to political instability, those who want to go abroad have increased since 2021." said an official from the Royal Korean Language Center.

Myanmar citizens leave for South Korea to work through agencies or with their own plans and most of Myanmar citizens are working in Seoul, Incheon and Busan reportedly.