Gyeonggi Province Becomes First in Nation to Support Interview Expenses with Local Currency

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Following the 'youth interview allowance,' Gyeonggi Province will implement 'civil service interview expense support,' which provides interview expenses to all civil service exam interview applicants, for the first time nationwide starting this year.

The province plans to provide applicants for Gyeonggi Province civil service interviews with an amount equivalent to the youth interview allowance (approximately 50,000 won). In November of last year, the province enacted the 'Gyeonggi Province Civil Service Interview Expense Support Ordinance' to establish the legal basis for payment.

Applicants for the Gyeonggi Province civil service interview, which will be held mid-month, will receive support. Detailed information regarding the support will be announced in the interview implementation plans for each examination.

Duplicate receipt with existing Gyeonggi Province youth interview allowance and the Ministry of Employment and Labor's unemployment benefits and job search support funds is not permitted.

While the youth interview allowance is a system that provides interview expenses to unemployed interview applicants aged 18 to 39, the civil service interview expense support policy differs in that, considering the nature of civil service exams which have no age restrictions and involve recruiting personnel to work for provincial administration, interview expenses are provided to all applicants participating in the interview.

Interview expenses will be provided in local currency to residents within the province, while applicants residing in other regions will receive cash payments considering ease of use.

Recently, the National Assembly introduced a partial amendment bill to the 'Fair Recruitment Procedures Act' mandating interview fee payments.

According to private opinion surveys, approximately 68% of job seekers report burden from interview expenses. The province expects this civil service interview expense support policy to contribute to creating an atmosphere of supporting interview costs not only in the private sector but also in the public sector.

Previously, the province made consistent efforts to spread and establish social consensus on interview allowances through youth interview allowance support, 'Gyeonggi Province Good Company' certification that provides interview allowances, and interview fee payments from 25 public institutions within the province.

A province official said, "Given the increasing job search difficulties due to COVID-19, we hope the province's interview expense support policies will further spread the social consensus of caring for job seekers."