The Ministry of Employment and Labor will help foreign spouses here find jobs through a set of programs in April.

During the month, the candidates can receive subsidies for job training fees up to 3 million won ($2,600) and tailored job consultations. Successful candidates will then be able to work at social enterprises, as care-givers, factory workers and more.

The applicants should visit their local employment center (dial 1350) with their social security or alien registration cards.

The special campaign was planned to boost the employment rate among foreign spouses who have a relatively hard time adjusting to living in Korea due to language, social and cultural differences.

The ministry said 2,525 out of 9,247 jobseekers were hired at various workplaces last year, when the program was launched, a huge jump from 474 out of 1,995 candidates landing a job the year before.

There are 181,671 foreign spouses registered in Korea and a many are looking for occupations to settle down in Korea, Hang Chang-hun, a ministry official, said.

“The employment service center provides foreign language services so that jobseekers can feel comfortable communicating about recruitment activities,” he added.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)