The Maritime and Port Bureau (MPB) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) announced today (the 23rd) that the exam notification letter and healthcare forms for the first Seafarer Examination of 2022 are now available for download from the Seafarer Examination webpage. The MPB urges all exam candidates to download and carefully read the exam notification letter in order to reduce carbon emissions and ensure that each candidate is able to take the examination smoothly. The MPB also reminds each candidate to print out and fill out the healthcare form as well when downloading and printing out the exam notification letter. This healthcare form should be taken along to the exam as part of the measures against the COVID-19 pandemic and for examination venue safety management purposes.
In order to protect the health of examination supervisory staff, the Seafarer Examination shall, in principle, not allow anyone to accompany examination candidates this time. Examination candidates who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been ordered to quarantine at a medical facility or some other designated location, are currently under home isolation or quarantine, or are under strict self-health management requirements, and are therefore restricted from leaving their homes during this period may not sit the examination or accompany a candidate to the examination venue. Those subject to other types of self-health management requirements are also not allowed to sit the examination if they have not reported their health status or have arranged for a COVID-19 test but have not yet received the test results and have been ordered to stay home in the meantime.
The MPB has stated that any exam candidates who are unable to attend the examination due to the regulations imposed by the Communicable Disease Control Act or because of quarantine measures shall be able to request an examination fee refund from the Bureau from 10 days before to 10 days after the examination. Relevant documents are required to be provided as proof.
1. Temperatures shall be taken before entering the examination venue
Anyone who enters the examination venue shall be required to have their temperatures taken, and anyone who does not have their temperature taken shall not be allowed to enter the venue. Any individuals who are found to have a body temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius shall have their temperatures taken a second time by medical personnel.
2. Exam candidates shall be required to wear a face mask and maintain social distancing at all times
Exam candidates shall be required to bring their own face masks and wear them for the entirety of the exam’s duration. Candidates without a face mask shall not be allowed to enter the examination venue and sit the exam. Social distancing rules, which state that individuals should stay 1 meter apart when outdoors and 1.5 meters apart when indoors, shall be followed when conversing during break or meal times during the exam’s duration. Face masks should be worn at all times except when eating, and individuals should remain at one resting or eating spot as much as possible.
3. Healthcare forms shall be filled out and used to manage the overall health situation
Exam candidates should download and fill out the healthcare forms provided on the Seafarer Examination webpage, and submit these forms to front desk staff when entering the examination venue on the day of the exam. These forms shall be inspected and stamped by staff members to verify their authenticity. Candidates without a stamped form shall not be allowed to enter the examination venue.
4. The examination venue will be kept well-ventilated and regularly disinfected
Each examination venue and rest area shall be kept well-ventilated, and each of these areas shall also have their environments disinfected. Exam candidates shall have their hands disinfected before entering the examination venue, and are encouraged to regularly wash their hands during the exam’s duration. They are also encouraged to pay attention to their respiratory hygiene and follow cough etiquette, and follow all COVID-19 prevention guidelines in order to protect public health.
5. Exam candidates are to enter the venue unaccompanied unless there are special circumstances
In general, exam candidates are not allowed to have their friends or family accompany them when taking the examination. In cases where the candidate has special needs, permission needs to be requested in advance from the MPB.