New examination pattern for EPS TOPIK – Point system for recruitment of foreign workers

The Human Resources Development Services of Korea (HRD Korea), a strategic partner for successful overseas employment, is offering a wide array of services for overseas job placement. Among those, Employment Permit System, well known as EPS, is one of the world renowned services that they provide.

Korean language examination (EPS TOPIK) in Sri Lanka is conducted under the Employment Permit System which has been introduced by the Government of Korea with intention of recruiting employees. Employment Permit System better known as EPS, is a unique system launched by Korea where foreign workers from other countries are introduced to Korea for employment. Currently this system has been introduced to 15 countries and Sri Lanka is one of them. 

In order to deviate from the defects of the existing EPS TOPIK Examination where used to practice up to, HRD Korea designated to introduce Point Base System (EPS TOPIK). Current system allows only passers of EPS-TOPIK constitute valid roster, which has not contained various elements of the person, for an instance, their capability of task completion, physical condition and experiences that Korean employers want are discharged. 

Current system limits the potential candidates whose Korean ability is low but their competency for the job has been known great. To overcome this limit, HRD Korea designed the new system where takes different paths with EPS TOPIK, for evaluating employees comprehensively by not only Korean ability but also by their physical ability, level of competence and job experiences.

Point system aims to comprehensively examine a person with their skills, physical condition, experiences including but not limited to their ability for Korean as specified. Specifically, on the physical conditions, applicants with color blindness, color weakness are not permitted to pass the point system based test. Also, applicants with any physical handicaps such as the slipped disc, finger amputation cannot pass the point system. 

Basically the system will support employers to hire the right person, providing them information of various aspects of the job seeker to be hired including their EPS TOPIK results, skills test, training course completions, national certificates, and job experiences. 

The system will broaden its range for the recruitment by giving chances to the people who are having low abilities for Korean but with plenty of job experiences and dedication for the job. 

In the Recruitment Point System, candidates will be selected upon the highest score by industries. To pass the first round, a candidate has to get at lease the designated points (40 for Manufacturing, 36 for Construction). After that, mainly 200% of the expected number of final passers of the point system will be selected based on highest score by industries for the second round.

Passers at the first round of test will get a chance to take the second round of the test which consists of Skills test and Competency test. In the second round, the scores of these tests will be added up. Considering the accumulated point, the candidates who are within the expected number of selections will be selected to pass the point system based upon the highest result.

At the second round of the test, the candidates who are having work experience in the chosen industry, National certificates corresponding to the chosen industry, and training course completions related to the chosen industry be required to submit the documentary evidence for the Competency test. Also all passers of first round should be taken the Skills test. The candidates who do not take Skills test will not pass the point system.

Candidates must check their physical states in terms of the color weakness and the color blindness to apply the first round of the test under EPS-TOPIK. Furthermore, the candidates found to have color blindness or color weakness in Skills test, will not pass the point system. If a candidate is judged to be unable to work in the applied industry, the candidate also could be excluded. 

HRD Korea will make it easier for workers to be recruited in Korean companies by advertising its Point system to Korean employers. 

As the upcoming EPS TOPIK examination will take different road as specified, applicants are advised to be prepared for the examination well in advance.

In order to aware general public with regard to the upcoming examination, the Director EPS Center of HRD Korea wishes to hold briefing sessions in selected areas according to the below given schedule. As there is a limited seating capacity participants are advised to address the program at their earliest.