Thousands of Vietnamese workers scramble for high-paying jobs in South Korea

Some 7,900 candidates from northern Vietnam took the Korean proficiency exam on May 5 at the Sona School of Labor Export Training in Hanoi.

Another 11,700 from central Vietnam will write the exam in Da Nang between May 8 and June 11, and 3,200 from the south in HCMC also in May and June.

Tran Thi Hang of Bac Giang Province is among those with an eye on the high stakes in this exam. Determined to improve her family's financial situation, she traveled to Hanoi by motorbike before dawn, arriving two hours early. Currently earning around VND12 million (US$460) per month as a manual worker, she hopes employment in South Korea can quadruple her income.

"Once you pass the exam, you have one foot in the door," Hang said.

Her husband passed the same exam last year and is now waiting for selection. Hang specifically chose agricultural jobs so that they can travel as a couple.

The Korean proficiency exam includes stringent measures to prevent cheating, such as biometric scanning. Anyone caught cheating will have their results annulled and face a four-year exam ban.

Dang Huy Hong, director of the Center of Overseas Labor, said 3,000 manufacturing jobs have attracted over 21,400 applicants.

Agriculture is seeing 1,400 candidates compete for 300 jobs.

Vietnam seeks to send around 8,000 workers to South Korea this year.

Since 2004 the Employment Permit System (EPS) has enabled South Korean companies to select foreign workers from among qualified candidates.

As employment is not guaranteed immediately after passing the proficiency test, candidates are advised to keep their jobs in Vietnam while waiting.

As of October 2024 Vietnam had over 650,000 guest workers in more than 40 countries and territories, who send around $4 billion annually in remittances.

Wages in South Korea can be up to $2,000 a month, making it one of the most lucrative overseas job markets for Vietnamese workers, followed by Japan at around $1,500.