The Korea Employment Permit System (EPS) said the forms should be submitted from April 16-19. Passing the language test is a requirement, though it does not guarantee a job, to go to South Korea for employment.

The EPS section of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) said the application forms can be submitted from ten various form collection centres across the country.

In the Kathmandu valley, the forms can be submitted to Bed Bidhyashram Sanskrit Secondary School in Gaushala, Kathmandu Valley HSS in Maharajgunj, Laboratory HSS in Kirtipur, Mahendra Aadarsha HSS and Chyasal ground in Balkumari, Lalitpur.

DoFE officials said applicants living outside the Valley can submit their forms at collection centres established in Dharan, Janakpur, Butwal, Pokhara and Dadheldhura.

An applicant has to pay USD 24 (around Rs 2,400) to submit the form. Only those who are aged 18-39 years are eligible to attend the language test.

The language test, however, is becoming more competitive as attraction towards Korean job is on the rise every year. The pass rate of the test witnessed a sharp decline after the curriculum was changed.

Of the total 62,514 applicants, including 6285 female candidates, for the test last year, only 3,663 (6.2 percentages) were successful.

It is still unknown how many workers South Korea plans to hire from Nepal in 2016. The quota is expected to be made public by the end of this year. South Korean Human Resources Department had allocated 5,300 job quotas to Nepali workers in 2015, 5,700 in 2014 and 5,234 in 2013.

The country hires unskilled labourers in manufacturing, agriculture and farming

sectors.

Nepali youths started to enter South Korea after the country signed a memorandum of understanding with Nepal on July 31, 2007.

South Korea has emerged as one of the most sought after destinations for Nepali workers, even young and educated youths, due to low recruitment cost, better benefit schemes and high salary compared to Gulf countries. Nepali workers earn anywhere between Rs 100,000 to Rs 200,000 each month for menial job.