DILI, 12 january 2022 (TATOLI) – Seventy-one Timorese workers will depart for South Korea on friday (14/01) to work in two areas, namely fisheries and factories.
Of the 71 workers, 28 would be working in factories, 30 in fisheries, and 13 others were under the reentry program.
The State Secretary for Vocational Training and Employment (SEFOPE), Alarico de Rosário called on the 71 workers to demonstrate the good image of Timor-Leste overseas.
“These workers are representing the country in South Korea, therefore, they need to behave well and show good performance, saving their money to improve their family economy in Timor-Leste,” Rosário told reporters after having a meeting with the workers and their families at SEFOPE Training Center, on wednesday, in Dili.
Before departing for South Korea the workers and SEFOPE sign the letter of agreement to make sure all workers fulfilled all criteria.
One of the main criteria is the workers should be in healthy condition before flying to South Korea. They need to present their Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card, medical certificate, and negative Covid-19 PCR test result.
The National Director of Foreign Employment, (DNEE) of the Secretary of State for Training and Employment (SEFOPE), Filomeno Soares said that the candidates will get the Covid-19 PCR test on thursday (13/01).
“In addition, these candidates will be under mandatory quarantine for 24 hours in the country. They will be quarantined for 10 days in South Korea before commencing their work and they must pay it themselves,” Soares said.
Soares said according to the current criteria given by the Human Resource Department of South Korea, the workers have to be fully vaccinated with Covid-19 vaccines, adding there is no need for them to take Covid-19 booster shots.
He said all of the 71 workers were men, saying SEFOPE would include more women in the future.
Since the implementation of the program in 2009, Timor-Leste had sent more than 3000 workers to work South Korea: “Currently, we have more than 2000 Timorese workers are still working in South Korea
He highlighted that every year the workers contribute more than US$ two million to Timor-Leste.
“Since 2009, the workers in South Korea had contributed more than US$ 39 million to Timor-Leste. Hence, the income from this program is greater than the US$11 million that we have invested so far,” Soares stressed.
Santana Do Carmo, one of the workers said that having the chance to work in South Korea is a golden opportunity to learn new skills to be implemented in the future when returning to Timor-Leste.
“It’s a good chance for me to improve my family economy in the future. I will invest my earnings in the productive sector when I come back from South Korea,” said Carmo.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
