Over 2,000 Sri Lankan youth secure jobs in South Korea this year

• The latest batch of 60 workers, including seven young women, departed yesterday (19) for jobs in the manufacturing sector

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama   
A total of 2,522 Sri Lankan youth have left for employment opportunities in South Korea during the past few months, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said.   
The latest batch of 60 workers, including seven young women, departed yesterday (19) for jobs in the manufacturing sector. This marks the 923rd group of Sri Lankans deployed to South Korea under the existing employment agreement.   

The SLBFE said that a rising trend of young women seeking overseas employment in South Korea, with 85 women departing in 2025 so far.    Employment opportunities are facilitated under the E-9 visa category, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the SLBFE and the South Korean Human Resources Development Institute. Jobs are available in manufacturing, construction, fisheries, and agriculture sectors.   The selection process is carried out online through a computer-based examination, ensuring transparency, with no outside influence permitted.   Workers are permitted to remain in South Korea for 4 years and 10 months. Those who return after completing their contracts are eligible to re-enter under the same scheme.    In 2024 alone, 7,122 Sri Lankans secured employment in South Korea, highlighting the growing demand for such opportunities.