After Passing EPS-TOPIK: The Skills Test, the Roster, and How You Get Hired

Most candidates who pass EPS-TOPIK believe they are now on a hireable list. They are not quite there. HRD Korea labels EPS-TOPIK the "1st exam" (1차시험) because a second stage follows: the Skills Test (기능시험, 2차시험), which covers physical fitness, a Korean-language interview, and a hands-on practical task. Under Article 7 of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, both the language exam and the skills-level evaluation exist to be used as selection criteria when the jobseeker roster (구직자명부) is drawn up, and HRD Korea passes your Skills Test result to employers. That roster is what Korean employers work from when they select workers. This is the step between passing your language exam and actually getting to Korea, and almost no English-language guide explains it. This one does.

If you still need the EPS-TOPIK exam itself, start with the EPS-TOPIK guide. This guide picks up the moment you have your results.

The road from exam pass to first day at work

Here is the full sequence. This guide covers steps 2 through 5 and 8 through 10.

1. Pass EPS-TOPIK (the 1st exam)
2. Complete the Skills Test (기능시험, 2차시험)
3. Clear a health screening
4. Enter the jobseeker roster (구직자명부)
5. An Employment Center recommends you to a Korean employer, who selects you from a shortlist
6. Sign the standard labor contract (표준근로계약서)
7. Get your E-9 visa
8. Complete pre-departure training in your home country
9. Travel to Korea
10. Complete post-arrival training within 15 days of arrival
11. Start work

For the E-9 visa itself, see E-9 Visa: The 2026 Guide. For the full EPS system overview, see EPS Korea Guide.

The Skills Test: the second exam most guides skip

What the Skills Test covers

HRD Korea's EPS-TOPIK website has a dedicated section for the Skills Test. Its stated target audience (평가대상) is EPS-TOPIK passers, with no sector carve-out listed. The test has three scored components and one bonus-point component.

One practical caution before you plan around it: HRD Korea publishes a separate Skills Test eligible-candidate announcement (기능시험 대상자 발표) country by country and round by round. The 2026 entries listed there are labelled 외국인력 포인트제 and cover specific countries and rounds, so check that announcement for your own country and round rather than assuming every sitting includes the Skills Test.

General track (100 points total):

The physical fitness component (체력평가) tests grip strength, back strength, and a burpee exercise for cardiorespiratory endurance.

The Korean-language interview (한국어 면접) is the highest-weighted component. HRD Korea lists five areas: self-introduction and attitude, basic conversation and behavioural instructions, using work tools and carrying out instructions, NCS basic vocational competency, and safety awareness including in-depth safety questions.

The practical task (기초기능) is a hands-on assignment drawn randomly each sitting from a sector-specific list. For manufacturing and services, the list includes tasks such as pipe bolting, grinder use, and product packing. For agriculture and livestock, it includes tasks such as brushcutter use and seed sowing.

The passing floor and bonus points

HRD Korea's scoring table gives the general track a minimum score (최저점) of 60 points or above out of 100. Treat 60 as the floor you have to clear, not as a guarantee of selection: on the same website, the language exam is explicitly norm-referenced, with candidates who clear a sector floor then ranked by score against the number of places available. HRD Korea does not publish a separate pass-determination rule for the Skills Test.

The job-competency evaluation (직무능력평가) adds up to 5 bonus points on top of your Skills Test score. The four bonus categories, with the qualifying standard HRD Korea sets for each, are:

Two details worth knowing before you gather documents. Certificates obtained outside Korea are not recognised for the certification point (해외 취득 자격은 불인정). And experience, certificates or training unrelated to the sector's actual job content do not count: HRD Korea specifically excludes simple sales work, back-office roles such as accounting and HR, and public-sector posts outside technical grades from the experience point. Separately, workers who have done 5 months or more of seasonal work in Korea on an E-8 status receive 1 point on the experience item.

If you are applying through the fishing-sector special track

The fishing-sector special track (어업특례) uses a different scoring scale from the general track. The Skills Test itself is scored out of 110 points, and the bonus component can add up to 90 more. Do not apply the general-track figures to the fishing track. Confirm the exact scale and passing floor with HRD Korea or your sending-country agency if this applies to you.

A 2026 revision is in effect

A March 2026 notice on the HRD Korea EPS-TOPIK website confirms changes to the Skills Test under the Foreign Manpower Selection Points System (외국인력선발포인트제). The notice is titled 2026년도 외국인력선발포인트제 기능시험 변경사항 안내 (posted March 6, 2026). Check the notice board at epstopik.hrdkorea.or.kr for the current rules before your sitting.

Two "points systems" on government sites: keep them separate

Two Korean government mechanisms use the phrase "points system" in English and Korean, and they are completely different.

Worker-side scoring (this guide's subject): HRD Korea's Foreign Manpower Selection Points System (외국인력선발포인트제) on epstopik.hrdkorea.or.kr scores individual workers on EPS-TOPIK, the Skills Test, and bonus-point categories. Under Article 7 of the EPS Act, those results are the selection criteria used when the jobseeker roster is drawn up, and HRD Korea also passes the Skills Test result to employers.

Employer-side permit allocation: eps.go.kr's separate, older points system (점수제) ranks employers and workplaces for priority access to a hiring permit. This system has nothing to do with individual worker scoring. It was created because employers in a few sectors, agriculture and livestock among them, were queueing for long periods outside Employment Centers to receive hiring permits, and it replaced first-come-first-served allocation among employers. eps.go.kr records that it was piloted in those sectors in April 2012 and has applied to all sectors since the 2013 allocation, so it is no longer limited to the sectors that prompted it.

If you see "점수제" on eps.go.kr and think it refers to your Skills Test score, you are reading about the employer-side mechanism, not your own ranking.

The jobseeker roster: what "on the roster" actually means

How you get onto the roster

After passing EPS-TOPIK and the Skills Test, and after clearing a health screening, you apply for roster registration during the designated application window. Your sending country's dispatching agency compiles a roster and sends it to HRD Korea. HRD Korea translates it into Korean, verifies basic eligibility, certifies it, and manages the roster going forward.

The roster itself is created under Article 7, Paragraph 1 of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers (외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률 제7조제1항) and Article 12 of its Enforcement Decree, which put the Minister of Employment and Labor in charge of drawing up and managing the roster from the candidates each sending country transmits. Article 31, Paragraph 2 of the same Decree delegates that work to HRD Korea. A separate provision, Article 8, Paragraph 3 of the Act, is what governs the later step of recommending people from the roster to an employer.

How long you stay on the roster

Your EPS-TOPIK pass is valid for 2 years from the results announcement date. The eps.go.kr general-track process page states this directly: 합격유효기간은 합격자 발표일로부터 2년간 유효 (the pass validity period is 2 years from the results announcement date).

The roster itself carries no published clock. Article 7 of the EPS Act and Article 12 of its Enforcement Decree, the two provisions that create the jobseeker roster and put someone in charge of managing it, set no expiry period, no renewal step and no removal date for an individual listing. So the 2-year exam-pass window is the only expiry published for this stage, and it is the one to track. If an employer does not select you within it, you need to sit EPS-TOPIK again.

Two honest limits on that. The 2-year figure is an administrative rule stated by eps.go.kr, not a figure written into the Act or the Decree, so it can change without a legislative amendment. And the absence of a roster-specific expiry in those two provisions is not the same as a guarantee that your listing is never removed for some other reason; it means no separate roster expiry rule is published in the law that creates the roster. If your window is close to running out, ask your sending-country agency directly rather than assuming.

How an employer selects you: Employment Center shortlist, not free browsing

The employer's side of the process

Before a Korean employer can hire an EPS worker, they must first attempt to recruit a Korean worker. The law requires this effort to run for at least 7 days (reducible to 3 days under specific conditions). Only after this step can the employer file an employment-permit application (고용허가 신청) at the local Employment Center.

The employment-permit application is valid for 3 months. It can be extended once by 3 months only in limited circumstances, such as temporary business hardship or a natural disaster.

The 3x-candidate recommendation rule

After receiving the employer's application, the Employment Center must recommend candidates from the jobseeker roster. easylaw.go.kr, citing Article 8, Paragraph 3 of the EPS Act and Enforcement Rule Article 5, Paragraph 2, states the requirement verbatim:

고용허가 신청을 받은 고용센터의 장은 사용자에게 외국인구직자 명부에 등록된 사람 중 사용자가 신청한 구인 조건을 갖춘 외국인구직자를 3배수 이상(적격자가 3배수가 안 되면 자격을 갖춘 인원만을 말함) 추천해야 합니다

In plain terms: the Employment Center must recommend at least three times the number of positions the employer needs to fill. It draws from roster candidates who meet the employer's stated hiring conditions. If fewer than three times the needed number of qualifying candidates exist, the Employment Center recommends all available qualifying candidates.

The employer then selects from that shortlist. Once the employer makes a selection, the Employment Center issues the employment-permit certificate (고용허가서) without delay.

There is no documented employer interview step

The Korean-language interview in the Skills Test happens before you are on the roster at all. The legal sequence for the employer's side runs straight from the Employment Center's recommendation (Article 8, Paragraph 3) to the employer selecting from those recommended and the permit being issued without delay (Article 8, Paragraph 4), with Enforcement Rule Article 5 filling in the shortlist size and the employer's 3-month deadline for choosing. No interview between employer and candidate appears anywhere in that sequence, and easylaw.go.kr's six-step employer procedure (Korean-worker recruitment effort, employment-permit application, candidate recommendation, permit issuance, contract conclusion, visa-issuance certificate) does not list one either. The employer picks from the shortlist against the hiring conditions it stated.

The 3x-recommendation rule is a requirement on the Employment Center, not a guarantee to any individual worker. It means the Employment Center must provide at least that many candidates per opening. It does not determine the odds that you appear on any specific employer's shortlist.

Signing the standard labor contract

Once a Korean employer selects you from the Employment Center's shortlist, the process moves to contract signing. You and the employer must use the standard labor contract (표준근로계약서), specifically the version for foreign workers: 외국인근로자 표준근로계약서. This is required under Article 9, Paragraph 1 of the EPS Act. The contract must be concluded within 3 months of the employment-permit certificate's issuance.

You receive your own signed copy of the contract (EPS Act Enforcement Decree Article 16). Separately, under Article 17 of the Labor Standards Act, your employer must hand you a written document setting out your wage and how it is made up and paid, your prescribed working hours, your holidays, and your annual paid leave, whether or not you ask for it. Article 114 of the same Act punishes a violation with a fine of up to ₩5,000,000.

One section to read before you sign: the contract may include a probation period (수습기간) of up to 3 months from your actual first working day. During this period, the employer may reduce your hourly wage by up to 10 percent below the statutory minimum wage. This is a standard Korean labor-law provision. Any wage reduction after probation compared to what the contract states is a Labor Standards Act violation.

For the full picture on your rights under the contract, including what to do about unpaid wages, unsafe conditions, and abusive situations, see E-9 Worker Rights.

Pre-departure training

After the contract is signed, you go through pre-departure training (사전취업교육) in your home country before you travel to Korea. eps.go.kr lists it as step 4 of the general EPS process, applying to workers who have concluded a labor contract with a Korean employer, and describes its aim as building employability and helping early adjustment to life in Korea.

eps.go.kr states that the number of training hours can differ depending on the language exam and on whether a probation period applies. Our older EPS guides carry a shorter figure for this step than eps.go.kr currently publishes, so this guide deliberately gives no duration. Ask your sending-country agency for your own schedule once the contract is finalized.

Post-arrival training: your first two weeks in Korea

After you arrive in Korea, you must complete post-arrival training (외국인 취업교육) before you start work. The legal requirement comes from Article 11 of the EPS Act and Enforcement Rule Articles 10 and 11:

• Legal minimum: 16 hours of training (Enforcement Rule Article 11(1))
• Format in practice: 2 nights and 3 days, as eps.go.kr describes it
• Deadline: Within 15 days of arrival (Enforcement Rule Article 10)
• Cost: Covered by your employer (Enforcement Rule Article 11(3))

Enforcement Rule Article 11, Paragraph 2 sets six curriculum areas: basic sector-specific skills needed for the job, how the employment permit system works, occupational safety and health, the Labor Standards Act and Immigration Act and related statutes, Korean culture and daily life, and any other matters the Ministry of Employment and Labor deems necessary. The occupational safety and health area is the one worth arriving alert for; it is the part of this training that is about not getting hurt.

The 16-hour figure is the legal minimum in Enforcement Rule Article 11, Paragraph 1. The "2 nights and 3 days" shape is how eps.go.kr describes the format in practice, writing it as 16시간(2박 3일), not something the Enforcement Rule requires. One exception sits in the same paragraph: a worker whose employment period previously expired and who has re-entered Korea through the proper procedure can have the training shortened below 16 hours.

You also need to complete alien registration at the immigration office for the area you live in, within 90 days of entering Korea, because you are staying longer than 90 days (Immigration Act Article 31, Paragraph 1). That registration is what produces your Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증, ARC), your official ID in Korea, which you will need for banking, healthcare, and most official transactions.

Where to go from here

• EPS-TOPIK Guide: If you still need the language exam covered from the start.
• EPS Korea Guide: The full EPS system, including all 17 sending countries, the 2026 quota, and the insurances you must enroll in on arrival.
• E-9 Visa Guide: The visa itself in detail, including the 4-year-10-month maximum stay, family rules, and how workplace transfers work.
• E-9 Worker Rights: What your contract must contain, how to handle unpaid wages, and the labor rights the EPS Act gives you from day one.

FAQ

Is there a second exam after passing EPS-TOPIK?

Yes. HRD Korea labels EPS-TOPIK the "1st exam" (1차시험) and runs a Skills Test (기능시험, 2차시험) covering physical fitness, a Korean-language interview, and a hands-on practical task. HRD Korea's Skills Test page gives its target audience as EPS-TOPIK passers, and HRD Korea publishes a Skills Test eligible-candidate announcement (기능시험 대상자 발표) for each country and round, so check whether your round is listed. Under Article 7 of the EPS Act, both the language exam and the skills-level evaluation are used as selection criteria when the jobseeker roster is drawn up.

How is the general-track Skills Test scored?

The general-track Skills Test totals 100 points: physical fitness (체력평가) counts 30, the Korean-language interview (한국어 면접) counts 50, and the practical task (기초기능) counts 20. HRD Korea's scoring table gives a minimum score (최저점) of 60 or above for the general track. The job-competency evaluation (직무능력평가) can add up to 5 bonus points on top of this total.

What does the Korean-language interview in the Skills Test cover?

HRD Korea lists five interview areas: self-introduction and attitude, basic conversation and behavioural instructions, using work tools and carrying out instructions, NCS basic vocational competency, and safety awareness including in-depth safety questions. The interview counts 50 of the 100 total points in the general-track Skills Test, making it the single highest-weighted component.

How long does my EPS-TOPIK pass and roster listing stay valid?

eps.go.kr states that the EPS-TOPIK pass is valid for 2 years from the results announcement date. Article 7 of the EPS Act and Article 12 of its Enforcement Decree, which create and govern the jobseeker roster, set no expiry or renewal period for an individual listing, so the 2-year exam-pass window is the only clock published for this stage. If an employer does not select you within it, you need to sit the exam again.

Can I choose my Korean employer after I am on the roster?

No. Employers submit a hiring request to the local Employment Center. The Employment Center recommends at least three times the number of candidates the employer needs, drawn from roster candidates who meet the employer's stated conditions. The employer picks from that shortlist. You cannot browse available jobs or contact employers directly.

Is there an interview with the Korean employer before I am selected?

The Korean-language interview is inside the Skills Test, not a meeting with your future employer. The EPS Act's hiring sequence runs from the Employment Center's recommendation (Article 8(3)) straight to the employer's selection and the issuing of the employment permit (Article 8(4)), and easylaw.go.kr's six-step employer procedure lists no interview between employer and candidate. The employer picks from the Employment Center's recommended shortlist against the hiring conditions it stated.

What is the standard labor contract I sign as an E-9 worker?

The standard labor contract (표준근로계약서) is a government-mandated form that sets your wages, working hours, sector, and accommodation terms. The Ministry of Employment and Labor publishes it specifically for foreign workers as the 외국인근로자 표준근로계약서. You must receive your own signed copy. For the full breakdown of what the contract must cover and your rights under it, see E-9 Worker Rights.

What is the post-arrival training and when does it happen?

Post-arrival training (외국인 취업교육) is mandatory for all E-9 workers and must be completed within 15 days of arriving in Korea. The legal minimum is 16 hours, and eps.go.kr describes the format as 2 nights and 3 days. Your employer covers the cost. The Enforcement Rule sets six curriculum areas: sector-specific basic skills, the employment permit system, occupational safety and health, the Labor Standards Act and Immigration Act and related statutes, Korean culture and daily life, and anything else the Ministry of Employment and Labor deems necessary.

@misc{seoulstart-eps-after-passing-guide,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{After Passing EPS-TOPIK: The Skills Test, the Roster, and How You Get Hired (2026)}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/eps-after-passing-guide},
  note = {Last updated August 5, 2026}
}