E-9 Visa in Korea: The EPS Worker's Practical Guide

Korea's E-9 visa is the channel through which most foreign workers arrive. If you are coming to Korea to work in a factory, on a farm, at a construction site, on a fishing boat, or in a hotel or restaurant, this is almost certainly the visa you will hold. It also comes with the sharpest rules about who pays for what, how long you can stay, and how to protect yourself if things go wrong. This guide walks through every step.

What is the E-9 visa and how does EPS protect workers?

The E-9 (비전문취업) is Korea's non-professional employment visa, issued only through the Employment Permit System (EPS, 고용허가제). The EPS is a government-to-government framework, which means recruitment is handled by official agencies on both sides, not private brokers. No private agency in Korea can legally charge you a placement fee. The system was launched in August 2004 specifically to replace an earlier trainee system that had been exploited by middlemen.

Who can apply for an E-9 visa from the EPS countries?

The E-9 is open to workers from 17 countries that have signed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding with Korea. Applicants are typically aged 18 to 39 (some bilateral MOUs set 38 as the ceiling), must sit the EPS-TOPIK Korean language test and place high enough to be selected, pass a medical exam, and have no record of deportation or overstay from Korea. Criminal convictions carrying imprisonment are disqualifying.

The 17 countries on the official EPS list are:

• Vietnam (베트남), Philippines (필리핀), Indonesia (인도네시아), Thailand (태국)
• Sri Lanka (스리랑카), Mongolia (몽골), Uzbekistan (우즈베키스탄), Pakistan (파키스탄)
• Cambodia (캄보디아), China (중국), Bangladesh (방글라데시), Kyrgyzstan (키르기스스탄)
• Nepal (네팔), Myanmar (미얀마), Timor-Leste (동티모르), Laos (라오스)
• Tajikistan (타지키스탄), which joined as the 17th sending country on October 31, 2024

Tajikistan is still ramping up: the first Tajik EPS-TOPIK exams ran in 2025 and dispatch volume remains small while the pipeline builds.

Eligible industries are manufacturing, construction, agriculture and livestock, fisheries, shipbuilding, and parts of services. Restaurants, hotels, and condominiums were added to the services list from 2024, starting with an initial pilot allocation. A domestic services pilot used Philippine workers for childcare and childcare-related household tasks; the government later said it would not pursue a main project or additional domestic-manager intake, while extending existing workers' activity period under E-9-like measures.

How do you apply for an E-9 visa, step by step?

The E-9 application starts in your home country and ends with an orientation inside Korea. The whole process can take several months, so start early. Each step is handled by either your sending agency or HRD Korea, not by a Korean employer. You do not need to know a Korean employer before you begin.

1. Confirm eligibility. Check that your nationality and your target industry are on the MOU list at the EPS portal.
2. Register with your sending agency. DOLAB in Vietnam, POEA/DMWF in the Philippines, BOE in Nepal, BOESL in Bangladesh. Sending agencies are listed on the EPS portal, which is available in multiple languages.
3. Sit the EPS-TOPIK Korean language test. The test runs at authorised HRD Korea centres in your home country: 40 questions (20 listening, 20 reading) over 50 minutes, scored out of 100. There is no fixed pass mark. HRD Korea grades on a curve and selects candidates in descending score order until the country and sector quota fills, subject to an industry floor you must clear first: 60 points for manufacturing, 45 for other sectors, and 30 pass/fail for the fishing special track. Clearing the floor makes you eligible, not selected.
4. Take any supplementary skill test. Manufacturing and agriculture may require an additional assessment. Scores affect your ranking on the roster.
5. Submit your job application. Passport, health certificate, criminal background check, and the standard forms go to your sending agency.
6. Wait for a match. Employers pick from the HRD Korea roster based on your EPS-TOPIK score and skill test. You cannot choose your employer.
7. Pre-departure training. Three to five days of workplace safety, Korean labour law, and cultural basics in your home country.
8. Get your visa. Apply at the Korean embassy in your home country once your employer sends you the standard contract.
9. Arrive and attend in-country orientation. A mandatory three-day HRD Korea programme runs after you arrive. Register as a foreign resident at your local immigration office within 90 days to receive your Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증).

What rights do E-9 visa workers have in Korea?

E-9 workers are covered by the same core labour protections as Korean nationals. Minimum wage, capped working hours, paid overtime, annual leave, severance, industrial accident insurance, and NHIS health coverage all apply from day one. The EPS portal publishes worker-rights materials in multiple languages, and the 1350 hotline takes complaints in those languages.

The specifics:

• Minimum wage (최저임금). ₩10,320 per hour in 2026.
• Working hours. A 52-hour weekly cap (40 regular plus 12 overtime). Overtime is paid at 1.5x your regular rate. Two exceptions: these hours and overtime-pay rules do not apply in farming, livestock and fishing, and workplaces with fewer than 5 employees do not have to follow the 40-hour and 52-hour limits or pay the 1.5x overtime rate. Check your contract for these terms.
• Annual leave. 15 days in your first year, plus 1 extra day per year of service, up to 25 days.
• Severance pay (퇴직금). One month of average wage per year of service. E-9 severance is paid through the Departure Guarantee Insurance (출국만기보험) fund. Your employer pays premiums monthly. You claim the balance at departure. If the insurance payout is less than the legal severance owed, your employer must pay the shortfall directly.
• Industrial accident insurance (산재보험). Mandatory from day one. Covers workplace injuries regardless of fault.
• NHIS health coverage. Mandatory for stays over 6 months. Enrollment goes through your employer. NHIS offers a roughly 50% premium discount to all enrollees living in designated rural and remote areas (도서·벽지 지역); this is not E-9-specific, but it applies to E-9 workers living in those areas as well. See NHIS for details.
• Employment insurance (고용보험). Mandatory enrollment. Covers limited unemployment situations.

Your employer must provide accommodation or a housing allowance, and the amount that can be deducted from your wages for housing is capped by law. E-9 workers cannot bring a spouse or children on a dependent visa. Family members may visit on short-term tourist visas but cannot live long-term in Korea under this category.

Can E-9 workers change employers, and what is the time limit?

You can change employers on E-9, but only under specific grounds, and you must act fast. Valid reasons include employer bankruptcy, factory closure, serious labour law violations such as wage arrears (임금체불), physical assault, sexual harassment, or unsafe working conditions, and natural contract expiry. You do not need your employer's permission to change if they are the cause of the problem.

The rules are strict. You have 1 month from contract end to visit your local Employment and Labor office (고용센터) and submit a Job Search Application. (The statute, Article 25 of the Act on Foreign Workers' Employment, sets a 1-month limit, not a flat 30 days.) Once filed, you have 3 months to find a new employer in the same industry sector. If you do not, you must leave Korea. You can change workplaces up to 3 times during your initial 3-year stay and 2 more times during the 1-year 10-month extension, for a total of 5 changes. Changes that are the employer's fault, such as wage arrears or abuse, do not count toward this limit and do not need the employer's consent.

The government has been studying whether to allow voluntary job changes after 1 or 2 years with the same employer. As of mid-2026, no statutory change has taken effect. Check the workplace-change rules at easylaw.go.kr for the current status before assuming new rules apply to your situation.

How long is the E-9 visa, and how does the Sincere Worker re-entry track work?

The E-9 has a hard ceiling of 4 years and 10 months: an initial 3-year period plus up to 1 year 10 months of extension if your employer requests re-employment before you leave. After that you must depart Korea. Workers who complete the full term at the same employer without violations may qualify for the Sincere Worker (성실근로자) re-entry track, which shortens the required wait before returning to Korea and comes with EPS-TOPIK waived and simplified visa processing. The exact re-entry wait under this track has been revised in recent years, so confirm the current period with MOEL or HRD Korea before you plan around it.

Sincere Worker eligibility and quotas are announced annually by MOEL. If you want to come back, track your record: do not accumulate fines, do not exceed the workplace-change rules, and keep your employer's recommendation.

How do E-9 workers move to long-term status (E-7-4 or F-5)?

For workers who want to stay in Korea beyond the 4-year 10-month ceiling, the main path is the E-7-4 points-based skilled worker visa. It is not automatic. You need a qualifying track record, a salary threshold, and a K-Point score. Once on E-7-4, you can accumulate the continuous residence needed for F-2 long-term residency, and eventually F-5 permanent residency.

The E-7-4 requirements in 2026 (verify against the 2026 E-7-4 selection plan):

• At least 4 years of work on E-9, E-10, or H-2 in the past 10 years.
• Currently employed at the sponsoring employer for at least 1 year.
• A 2-year E-7-4 contract at an annual salary of ₩26 million or more (₩25.89 million or more in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, or coastal shipping, per the HiKorea stay manual dated September 18, 2026). For the income points, workers in those sectors score from an average annual income of ₩24 million.
• A K-Point score of at least 200 out of 300, based on income over the past 2 years (up to 120 points), Korean language ability (up to 120 points), and other factors. You need at least 50 points in income and at least 50 points in Korean. The Korean minimum is TOPIK Level 2, Social Integration Program (사회통합프로그램, KIIP) stage 2, or a KIIP placement test score of 41 or more. Through December 31, 2026, the Korean requirement can be deferred, not waived: if you meet the other requirements with 150 or more points, you can apply and complete the Korean requirement by your first extension (2 years).
• No criminal fine of ₩1,000,000 or more. No four or more immigration violations. No unlawful stay of 3 months or more. No unpaid taxes (you can apply once they are paid in full). The fine, violation, and unlawful-stay checks cover the last 10 years. A fine under ₩1,000,000 does not exclude you, but it costs points. Immigration can also refuse applicants it judges a risk to public safety or to economic or social order.

The 2025 E-7-4 quota was 35,000 slots, processed on a rolling basis through HiKorea. The 2026 quota was cut to 33,000, with year-round (always-on) applications until the quota is used up. Employer headcount limits apply: an employer can hire E-7-4 workers up to 30% of its Korean employees, or up to 50% in population-decline areas, root industries (뿌리산업), and, since June 2026, farming, livestock, and fishing. A workplace with 4 or fewer Korean employees can hire 1 E-7-4 worker (2 under the special rule). Construction firms use a separate formula based on their construction capacity rating.

F-5 permanent residency requires 5 consecutive years of legal residence, stable income, KIIP completion, no criminal record, and is renewable every 10 years.

If you are researching what skilled roles pay and which employers hire foreign workers, browse the job listings hiring foreign residents on Seoulstart to see current openings, salary ranges, and language requirements.

What E-9 visa scams should workers watch for?

Most E-9 problems start with someone asking you for money. Because the EPS is a government-to-government system, no private broker in Korea can legally charge you a placement or queue-prioritization fee. Payments for medical exams, passport fees, language training, and airfare are legitimate; demands for "agency commissions" or "employer matching fees" are not. If you are being charged them, report the broker through your home country's agency.

Inside Korea, the most common violations are:

• Wage theft. A November 2025 MOEL inspection of 196 high-risk worksites found ₩1.7 billion in unpaid wages across 123 businesses. 846 violations were recorded across 182 companies. Three employers were banned from hiring foreign workers.
• Workplace abuse. Documented cases of workplace bullying involving foreign workers rose from 65 in 2020 to 225 in 2024.
• Substandard housing. Employers must provide proper accommodation, not greenhouses or makeshift dormitories. MOEL has enforcement authority.
• Illegal sector switching. Some employers direct workers into sectors outside the registered industry, which is a visa violation.

If you are the victim of wage theft, a 2024 Ministry of Justice change means public officials are no longer required to report undocumented workers who come forward to claim unpaid wages. You can seek redress without automatic deportation risk.

Claiming your pension refund when you leave

Before you leave Korea, claim your National Pension refund (반환일시금). E-9 workers are explicitly eligible regardless of contribution length, according to NPS. The refund covers all of your contributions plus interest at the 3-year fixed-deposit rate. Your eligibility comes from your visa type (E-8, E-9, or H-2), so it does not depend on your nationality or on whether your country has a social security agreement or reciprocity arrangement with Korea. The country-list framework only governs lump-sum eligibility for foreign workers on other visa categories, so it does not gate E-9 workers. Verify the details at nps.or.kr/eng before relying. Many departing workers miss this refund because nobody tells them.

There are three ways to claim:

1. Before departure at a local NPS branch. You can apply up to 30 days before your departure date, and the refund is paid after you leave Korea. Bring passport, ARC, proof of flight, and your Korean bank account details. Funds arrive in your Korean account in 4 to 6 weeks. You can also request transfer to a home-country account.
2. At Incheon Airport on departure day. First, apply at a local NPS branch to receive a Certificate of Application Acceptance. On departure day, present it at the NPS Service Center inside Incheon International Airport. Refund is paid in cash in one of 16 foreign currencies the same day.
3. From your home country after returning. File through your home country's social insurance institution. Same documents are required, and notarization is not needed as of the 2024 update.

NPS English support: 033-811-2000. General hotline: 1577-1000. The 2024 update also added digital authentication via Naver, KakaoTalk, or Korean bank certificates for online applications.

Help channels: 1345, 1350, 1644-0644

If something goes wrong, you do not have to handle it alone. Korea runs dedicated multilingual hotlines for foreign workers: 1345 for visa and immigration, 1350 for labour rights and unpaid wages, and 1644-0644 for workplace counselling with interpreters. HRD Korea also operates EPS Support Centres nationwide, where staff can help with job-search filings and workplace-change paperwork.

Quick reference:

• 1345, Immigration Contact Center. 20 languages. Monday to Friday, 9 am to 10 pm. For visa, ARC, and general foreigner questions.
• 1350, Ministry of Employment and Labor rights hotline. For unpaid wages, unsafe conditions, contract violations, overtime disputes, and discrimination.
• 1644-0644, Foreign Worker Counseling Center. For workplace issues. Interpreters in multiple languages.
• EPS Support Centers, HRD Korea network. Job search support, workplace change filings, in-person help.
• HiKorea, Online portal for immigration status and appointments.

2024 to 2026 changes and what is coming

The E-9 system has been under active reform. The most visible change is the falling quota: 80,000 new E-9 entries in 2026, down by 50,000 from 2025. The government has cited normalizing post-COVID labour demand and falling vacancies in manufacturing and construction. The total non-professional worker quota for 2026 remains at 191,000 because E-8 seasonal and other categories expanded.

Other recent changes:

• Regional hiring bonus. Non-metropolitan employers can hire up to 30% more E-9 workers above their base allocation. Seoul-metro employers can hire 20% more.
• 2024 service-sector opening. Restaurants, hotels, and condominiums opened to E-9 workers, starting with an initial pilot allocation.
• Domestic services pilot. Philippine workers in childcare and childcare-related household tasks. The government later said it would not pursue a main project or additional domestic-manager intake, while extending existing workers' activity period under E-9-like measures.
• E-7-4 expansion. More than 10,000 E-9 workers had converted cumulatively by 2024 (verify against the Korea Immigration Service annual report). The 2025 quota was 35,000, and the 2026 quota was cut to 33,000 with year-round applications. Through December 31, 2026, the E-7-4 Korean requirement can be deferred until your first extension if you meet the other requirements. It is a deferral, not a waiver.
• Employer-change reform under review. MOEL has been studying voluntary job change after 1 to 2 years with the same employer. As of mid-2026, no statutory change has taken effect.

What to do next

• EPS Korea Guide: The full Employment Permit System process from your home country to your first day at work, in more detail than this visa overview.
• Korea Pension Refund Guide: Step-by-step instructions for claiming your lump-sum refund before or after departure.
• NHIS Enrollment Guide: How your health insurance works, what it costs, and what to check on your first payslip.
• Korean Job Platforms: Where jobs are actually posted in Korea, useful when you are planning the E-7-4 move.

Sources

• EPS, Permitted Industries and Sending Countries, country list, industries, system overview (accessed 2026-06-04)
• NPS, Lump-Sum Refund for Foreigners, E-9 eligibility, refund process (accessed 2026-06-04)
• NHIS, Foreign Residents, mandatory enrollment, premium structure (accessed 2026-06-04)
• Korea Immigration Service, 2025 E-7-4 Selection Plan (HWP), points system, sector quotas, salary thresholds (accessed 2026-06-04)
• Ministry of Justice, 2026 E-7-4 Selection Plan (HWP, via Easy Law), 2026 requirements, exclusions, Korean-language deferral, application schedule (accessed 2026-10-17)
• Korea Immigration Service, June 1, 2026 E-7-4 press release (PDF), employer headcount limits and the 2026 Korean-language deferral (accessed 2026-10-17)
• easylaw.go.kr, Foreign Worker Workplace Change, 1-month limit and workplace-change rules (accessed 2026-06-04)
• Korea.kr, EPS Sending Countries 16 to 17, Tajikistan added October 31, 2024 (accessed 2026-06-04)
• Korea.kr / MOEL, 2026 E-9 foreign workforce quota set at 80,000, down 50,000 from 2025, 2026 E-9 quota (accessed 2026-06-05)
• Korea.kr / MOEL, Philippine domestic-service pilot worker conditions, domestic-service worker duties and pilot follow-up (accessed 2026-06-05)
• EPS Portal (multiple languages), sending-country information (accessed 2026-06-04)

Further reading

For national-level context on the E-9 workforce and the 2026 quota reduction to 80,000, see our State of Foreign Residents in Korea 2026 report.

@misc{seoulstart-e-9-visa-guide,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{E-9 Visa in Korea: The EPS Worker's Practical Guide}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/e-9-visa-guide},
  note = {Last updated October 17, 2026}
}