Gyeonggi Province Launches Job Certification Program for Excellent SMEs
Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Job Foundation have rolled up their sleeves to discover outstanding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are leading efforts to expand employment and improve working conditions in the region. The two organizations announced that they will begin accepting applications for new participants in the '2026 Excellent Job Company Certification Project' starting July 1, aiming to enhance the competitiveness of local businesses and promote a stable workplace culture.
The program selects promising SMEs that have increased their hiring and innovatively improved their work environments, providing them with various institutional benefits. Since its inception in 2009, a total of 900 companies have been certified, and this year, 70 new companies will be selected to focus on creating a high-quality job ecosystem.
The new certification will be divided into two categories. The 'Excellent Job Company' category will select 50 companies based on overall employment increases, while the 'Youth-Friendly Company' category, which focuses on creating favorable conditions for young workers, will select 20 companies. Notably, the application threshold for the youth category has been significantly lowered this year; previously, only companies already designated as excellent job companies could apply, but now all SMEs located in the province can apply without restrictions.
To qualify, companies must have their headquarters, branches, or second factories located in Gyeonggi Province as of the announcement date, and they must be small corporations that have been operating normally for at least three years and have completed their financial statements.
In detail, for the Excellent Job Company category, companies can apply if they have increased their average employee hiring rate by more than 10% in the past year while also adding at least five regular employees, or if they have created a net increase of at least ten jobs in the last year regardless of the hiring rate.
Conversely, the Youth-Friendly Company category applies specific criteria for youth employment. Companies that have exceeded an average youth hiring increase rate of 5% in the past year or have maintained a youth employee retention rate of over 25% are the primary candidates for this category. The employment figures will be strictly compared and analyzed based on the monthly withholding tax reports for 2024 and 2025.
The evaluation process for the companies that submit their final documents will be conducted in three meticulous stages. The first stage involves a preliminary document review based on quantitative indicators, followed by a second stage that includes an on-site investigation conducted by certified labor consultants for high-scoring companies. In the final third stage, a review committee will convene to conduct qualitative assessments and select the final companies. Detailed information regarding evaluation criteria can be found on the Gyeonggi Job Portal.
Companies that successfully pass all evaluations will maintain their certification for two to three years and enjoy substantial incentives provided by the province. They will receive an official certificate and plaque, preferential interest rates and points when applying for small business development loans, as well as additional benefits such as credit guarantee points, reduced guarantee fees, deferral of local tax audits, and points for participation in various provincial business support projects, totaling 29 different administrative and financial benefits.
Companies wishing to apply for new certification must complete their applications by 4 PM on July 24. Applications can be submitted online through the 'Jobaba Apply' website, where they must include all required supporting documents, such as the application form, company introduction, and 24 copies of monthly withholding tax reports.
The final selection results will be announced through the foundation's website in October, with individual notifications also provided. The official certificate awarding ceremony is scheduled for November, and detailed application requirements and submission guidelines can be obtained through the Gyeonggi Job Foundation's Growth Support Team.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/gyeonggi_gov/224340170159
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