Kazakhstan is edging nearer to securing legal employment opportunities for its citizens in South Korea through the Employment Permit System (EPS), following high-level talks in the Almaty region.
Governor Marat Sultangaziyev met a South Korean delegation to explore Kazakhstan’s potential participation in the program, with Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection Viktoria Shegay and local officials also attending, The Caspian Post reported via Kazakh media.
Sultangaziyev emphasized that the initiative is not limited to overseas job placements but aims to build a transparent and protected labor migration system. The goal, he said, is to enable Kazakh workers to gain international experience and new skills while reinforcing the country’s own migration framework.
The Korean side detailed how EPS addresses workforce shortages in key sectors by legally recruiting foreign workers. Abylai Zuaida, director of the Almaty region’s mobile employment center, said negotiations have moved into a second phase. The two countries have already signed an initial memorandum, and South Korea is currently reviewing Kazakhstan’s capacity to provide qualified labor.
As part of the assessment, the delegation is touring colleges and training centers to evaluate workforce readiness. If requirements are met, a full memorandum is expected, along with the launch of specialized training centers across Kazakhstan to prepare workers for employment in South Korea.
A final decision will rest with an inter-ministerial commission after all preparatory steps are completed. South Korea is projected to admit about 109,000 foreign seasonal workers this year.
Talks on Kazakhstan’s inclusion in EPS have been ongoing, including discussions last August between First Deputy Labor Minister Askarbek Yertayev and South Korean Ambassador Cho Tae-ick on advancing the process.
