Korea's Employment Permit System (EPS): How It Works, Who It Admits, and What Happens After

The Employment Permit System (고용허가제, EPS) places workers from 17 countries into Korean jobs in manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, construction, and services. If you are researching how to come to Korea through this program, or you are already here and want to understand the system that admitted you, this guide covers the full picture: the application process, your rights at work, the limits of the E-9 visa, and the paths forward after your contract ends.

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What EPS is and where it came from

The problem EPS was designed to solve

Before 2004, Korea recruited low-wage workers through the Industrial Trainee System (산업기술연수생 제도). Workers were classified as "trainees," not workers. That classification meant private brokers could charge large placement fees, and workers had no protection under the Labor Standards Act. Abuse was documented and widespread.

The Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers (외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률) was enacted August 16, 2003, and entered force August 17, 2004. It replaced the trainee model with a government-to-government framework. Under EPS:

• Workers are classified as workers, not trainees. The Labor Standards Act covers them from day one.
• Private broker fees are illegal. Placement goes through government agencies on both sides.
• Bilateral MOUs between Korea and each sending country set the rules for recruitment, worker protection, and return.

The Industrial Trainee System ran alongside EPS for a transition period before it was fully phased out by 2007.

Who manages EPS in Korea

Two Korean government bodies run EPS.

HRD Korea (한국산업인력공단) is the operational agency. It administers the EPS-TOPIK exam, manages the Worker Roster, handles post-arrival training, and runs the returnee support program. Its main EPS portal is eps.go.kr, available in 16 languages. Its exam portal is epstopik.hrdkorea.or.kr.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor (고용노동부, MOEL) is the supervising ministry. It sets policy, issues workplace change approvals, and enforces labor rights through its district offices. Call MOEL's multilingual hotline at 1350 (weekdays, business hours) for labor rights questions.

The 17 sending countries

As of January 2026, 17 countries have bilateral MOUs with Korea and can send EPS workers:

Tajikistan is the newest addition, having signed its EPS MOU with Korea in late 2024, with its first EPS-TOPIK rounds and worker deployments following in 2025. For the latest list of sending countries and test schedules, check eps.go.kr.

2026 quota

The E-9 quota for 2026 is 80,000 workers, down from 130,000 in 2025. MOEL cited declining job vacancies in manufacturing and construction as the main reason (verify the current and prior-year quotas at moel.go.kr).

Employers outside the Seoul metropolitan area can hire above their standard quota allocation, and for 2026 the government expanded this over-quota hiring limit for non-metropolitan workplaces. The exact percentage ceilings are set each year in the MOEL implementation notice, so check the current figures at moel.go.kr.

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The application pipeline, step by step

The EPS process runs from your home country's sending agency to HRD Korea to a Korean employer. Here is how each stage works.

Step 1: Register with your sending-country agency

You cannot apply for EPS independently. You register through your country's designated government agency. Each country's agency manages eligibility checks, exam registration, and contract verification.

See the Sending-country agencies section for the full list.

Step 2: Take the EPS-TOPIK exam

Your sending agency registers you for EPS-TOPIK (EPS한국어능력시험). Pass the exam and your result is valid for 2 years. See the EPS-TOPIK exam section for full details.

Step 3: Enter the Worker Roster

Workers who pass EPS-TOPIK are placed on the Worker Roster (구직자명부). Korean employers search the Roster and select workers. Your score, sector, and your country's bilateral agreement with Korea all affect how quickly you are selected.

Higher scores increase your chances. There is no guaranteed timeline. With a 2026 quota of 80,000, the wait from passing EPS-TOPIK to receiving a job offer can range from several months to over a year.

Step 4: Receive a job offer and sign a Standard Labor Contract

A Korean employer selects you from the Roster and offers a contract. You and your employer sign the Standard Labor Contract (표준근로계약서), which sets your wages, hours, sector, and accommodation terms. Keep a signed copy. It is your legal protection.

The contract must state your wages at or above the minimum wage of ₩10,320 per hour in 2026 (as of 2026, verify at moel.go.kr). Full-time at minimum wage equals approximately ₩2,156,880 per month before deductions.

Step 5: Get your visa

Once the contract is signed and submitted, MOEL issues an Employment Permit Certificate. Your sending-country agency assists with the E-9 visa application. The visa is employer-specific. You cannot change employers without going through the MOEL workplace change process.

Step 6: Pre-departure preparation

Before you leave, your sending-country agency conducts pre-departure orientation covering Korean workplace rules and labor rights. No placement fee or broker fee should be charged at any stage. The legitimate costs you pay are: the exam registration fee, health screening costs, passport fees, and your airfare to Korea.

Step 7: Post-arrival training and registration in Korea

On arrival in Korea, you must complete mandatory post-arrival training (취업교육, Chwieop Gyoyuk) at an HRD Korea center before starting work.

The duration of post-arrival training varies. Some sources cite a 3-day program; others reference a longer period. Verify the current schedule at hrdkorea.or.kr or with your employer before arrival.

Within 90 days of arrival, register your Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증, ARC) at your local immigration office (출입국·외국인청). The ARC is your official ID in Korea. You need it for banking, healthcare, and most official transactions.

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The EPS-TOPIK exam

Format

All questions are multiple choice. HRD Korea scores the test on a 100-point scale. There is no fixed pass mark: candidates are ranked by score, and selection runs in descending order until the country-sector quota fills. Clearing the minimum threshold puts you on the Worker Roster, but the effective cutoff to be selected has historically run higher in high-demand sectors such as manufacturing. Verify the current format and cutoffs with HRD Korea at epstopik.hrdkorea.or.kr before you register.

Your result is valid for 2 years from the release date. If you do not receive a job offer within 2 years, you will need to retake the exam.

By-industry variations

Some countries and industries require additional tests on top of the standard EPS-TOPIK. Indonesia requires a two-stage exam for the manufacturing sector: Stage 1 is EPS-TOPIK and Stage 2 is a Skills and Competency Test. Confirm with your sending-country agency whether your sector requires additional testing.

Exam fees and locations

Fees and testing locations vary by country. Philippines 2026: USD 24, with testing centers in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Pampanga, and Baguio. Indonesia 2025: approximately USD 28, paid via BNI Bank, conducted as a computer-based test. Vietnam: confirm current fee and registration dates at colab.moha.gov.vn.

EPS-TOPIK is held at multiple test centers across the 17 sending countries. Check epstopik.hrdkorea.or.kr for the current list of locations in your country.

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Your first months in Korea: insurances, registration, and wages

The 4 mandatory EPS insurances

EPS has four worker-specific insurances set out in the Foreign Worker Dedicated Insurance rules. These are separate from Korea's four standard social insurances (national pension, health insurance, employment insurance, and industrial accident insurance), which apply to all workers regardless of nationality. Two of the four EPS insurances are your employer's responsibility. Two are yours.

Your employer must enroll you in:

Your employer must enroll you in Departure Guarantee Insurance within 15 days of your contract effective date. After your contract begins, verify that this enrollment happened. If it has not, contact MOEL at 1350. The Departure Guarantee Insurance money goes into an account in your name and belongs to you.

Industrial Accident Insurance (산재보험) also covers you from day one, but it is one of Korea's universal social insurances, not one of the four EPS-specific insurances.

You must enroll yourself in:

Return Cost Insurance amounts are based on easylaw.go.kr data. Verify current tier amounts at eps.go.kr before enrolling, as these can be updated.

Miss the 3-month deadline for Return Cost Insurance and you risk a fine.

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Workplace rules and the mobility problem

What the current rules say

Your E-9 visa is tied to a specific employer and a specific sector. You cannot simply change jobs the way a Korean worker can.

Workplace transfers (사업장 변경, saeopjang byeongyeong) are permitted only in specific circumstances:

• The employer has closed or suspended operations
• The employer has violated the contract terms
• The employer has committed physical or verbal abuse
• You were injured and cannot continue the work
• Your employment permit was officially cancelled
• MOEL has notified that continuation is impossible through no fault of your own

You apply for a transfer through your local MOEL district office (고용복지플러스센터). You can change workplaces up to 3 times during your initial 3-year period and up to 2 more times during the extension period.

The September 2024 same-region rule

Since September 2024, workplace transfers are restricted to the same industry AND the same region as your original workplace. Korea is divided into regional zones for this purpose. You cannot transfer to an employer in a different region, even within the same sector.

This change was introduced following pressure from rural and small-town employers who said workers were moving to the Seoul metropolitan area. Worker advocates argued it traps workers in locations where abuse is harder to report and harder to escape.

The December 2025 reform task force

In December 2025, MOEL launched a task force to review the workplace change rules. As of January 2026, two options were under discussion: allow transfers after 1 year of service, or after 2 years. The task force originally targeted a completed roadmap by the end of March 2026.

As of April 2026, no reform has been enacted and no published roadmap has been confirmed. The rules described above remain in effect. Verify current status at moel.go.kr before relying on any announced changes.

For a full breakdown of your workplace rights, including what to do if your employer is abusive or has not paid you, see the E-9 Worker Rights guide.

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Family separation: the hard truth

E-9 does not allow family

The E-9 visa does not permit spouses or children to accompany you to Korea, or to join you during your contract. This is not an administrative gap you can work around. It is a deliberate structural feature of the EPS design. Your family stays in your home country for the full duration of your contract.

The maximum E-9 stay is 4 years and 10 months. That is the ceiling.

The only path to a longer stay: E-7-4

The E-7-4 is the sub-category of the skilled worker visa for EPS workers converting to longer-term status. The requirements are strict:

Applications go through HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) under a birth-year rotation system. The 2026 E-7-4 quota is approximately 33,000 spots, cut from 35,000 in 2025 (verify current quota at immigration.go.kr).

E-7-4 quota and K-Point thresholds are reviewed annually. Verify current figures at hikorea.go.kr or the Ministry of Justice immigration portal before applying.

The path to family reunion

E-7-4 does not immediately resolve the family separation. The full ladder is:

E-9 (up to 4 yr 10 mo) → E-7-4 (skilled worker, longer-term stay) → F-2 (long-term resident, 장기체류) → F-5 (permanent resident, 영주)

Only at F-2 status and above can family members join you in Korea. This process typically takes 8 to 12 years in total, depending on how quickly you qualify for each step.

Mental health and isolation

The family separation that EPS requires is a documented source of psychological harm. Since 2008, 259 Nepalese EPS workers have died in Korea. Of those, 70 deaths were by suicide. In August 2024, the Korean government cut funding for migrant worker support centers.

If you are struggling with isolation, contact the Migrant Workers Center network at 1644-0655 (14 languages). Your sending-country embassy also has consular support services.

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The Sincere Worker re-entry program

What it is

The Sincere Worker re-entry program (성실근로자 재입국 특례, Seongsil Geungnoja Jaeipguk Teukrye) rewards workers who complete their full term without violations with faster re-entry to the same employer.

Standard process: You complete your 4-year-10-month contract, leave Korea, and re-enter Korea through the full EPS process including a new EPS-TOPIK exam. That process can take a year or more.

Sincere Worker process: You leave Korea for 1 month, then return to the same employer and sector. You skip the Roster wait.

The October 14, 2021 reform

The April 13, 2021 partial amendment to the EPS Act, effective October 14, 2021, made two important changes to this program:

1. The mandatory departure period before re-entry was reduced from 3 months to 1 month.
2. Workers who changed workplaces during their term are no longer automatically disqualified. You still qualify if you spent your entire 4-year-10-month term in the same industry as when you started, and your current contract with the re-entry employer has at least 1 year remaining when you apply.

If you heard about Sincere Worker eligibility rules before late 2021, those rules have changed. The key date is October 14, 2021.

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After your contract: returnee support

HRD Korea's Happy Return Program

HRD Korea operates the Happy Return Program to help workers build skills during their time in Korea and find employment after returning home. The program offers vocational training on Sundays during your employment period through partner vocational institutes. On return, HRD Korea connects workers with Korean-affiliated companies operating in their home countries and with job placement support.

The number of partner vocational institutes and the current EPS Returnee Job Fair schedule were not confirmed in primary sources at time of publication. Check hrdkorea.or.kr for current program details.

Skills certification and post-return job placement

Workers who complete training during their EPS stay receive documentation of their skills. Korean companies operating factories, farms, and service businesses in sending countries do recruit from the returnee pool. HRD Korea's returnee support centers in sending countries coordinate this matching.

Contact your sending-country agency's EPS office for the current reintegration program schedule. In the Philippines, contact the DMW EPS unit at eps.dmw.gov.ph. In Vietnam, contact COLAB at colab.moha.gov.vn.

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Honest limits and structural problems

The EPS system has real, documented problems. These are not edge cases. They are reported by Korean government agencies, the UN, and worker advocacy organizations. You should know them before you arrive.

Wage theft

Between January and July 2024, 14,913 workers at 4,124 Korean businesses experienced wage theft. Unpaid wages totaled approximately ₩70 billion (approximately USD 52 million). Foreign workers make up 3.2% of the total Korean workforce but account for 8.5% of all wage theft victims.

The employer-tied visa structure is a structural cause. Workers who cannot easily leave an employer have less leverage when wages are withheld.

If your wages are unpaid: Call 1350 (MOEL), file online at moel.go.kr, or visit your local MOEL district office. The statute of limitations is 3 years from each unpaid payday. See the E-9 Worker Rights guide for the full filing process.

Workplace deaths

In Q3 2025, 60 of 457 workplace fatalities in Korea involved foreign workers. That is 13.1% of deaths from a group that makes up approximately 3.5% of the workforce. Agriculture and fisheries are the highest-risk sectors.

Industrial accident insurance (산재보험) covers all E-9 workers from day one. If you are injured at work, go to the hospital first and tell the hospital you are filing an industrial accident claim. See the E-9 Worker Rights guide for the full claims process.

Greenhouse housing

Agricultural workers in Korea sometimes live in plastic greenhouse dormitories (비닐하우스 숙소, binil hauseu sukso). These structures are unheated, often unsafe, and are structurally inadequate as housing.

In December 2020, Nuon Sokkheng, a Cambodian EPS worker in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, died in a greenhouse dormitory with temperatures of minus 18 degrees Celsius and a non-functioning heater. On January 30, 2026, the Korean Supreme Court ruled on the case and MOEL pledged to end the use of greenhouse dormitories.

As of March 2026, 22.8% of seasonal migrant workers still reside in temporary structures including plastic greenhouses and containers. MOEL's pledge has not yet been fully implemented.

If your employer provides housing, the accommodation must meet Labor Standards Act standards. Deductions for housing that does not meet these standards are illegal. Report violations to MOEL at 1350.

Undocumented status

More than 100,000 people who originally entered Korea on legal worker visas, including E-9 holders, have overstayed their authorized period and become undocumented. Overstaying is illegal and carries multi-year re-entry bans. For current figures, see the immigration statistics at immigration.go.kr.

Korea's Ministry of Justice periodically runs voluntary departure programs that offer reduced penalties for workers who depart on their own without a criminal history. These run for limited windows and open and close at the ministry's discretion. Verify whether any such program is currently open at immigration.go.kr.

If you are currently undocumented, consult your home country's embassy in Seoul or a licensed Korean immigration attorney before taking action.

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Related visas: E-8, E-7-4, H-2, and F-4

E-8 vs E-9: the key differences

E-8 and E-9 are separate programs with different rules, different agencies, and different rights.

The Philippines signed a Joint Memorandum Circular with South Korea on November 4, 2025, formalizing the Seasonal Workers Program for Filipino workers. That JMC applies to E-8 seasonal work only. It does not change the E-9 EPS process for Filipino workers.

E-7-4 skilled worker conversion

If you qualify, E-7-4 is the bridge from E-9 to a longer-term future in Korea. See the requirements in the Family section above. The section minimum rule is important: even if your total K-Point score reaches 200, you are disqualified if you score below 50 on either the Income section or the Korean Language section.

Applications go through HiKorea. The birth-year rotation system staggers applications across months to prevent server overloads.

H-2 and F-4: not EPS

H-2 (방문취업, Bangmun Chwiyeop) was a Working Visit Visa for ethnic Koreans from China and CIS countries. As of February 12, 2026, new H-2 visas are no longer issued. Ethnic Koreans now apply under the unified F-4 (재외동포) status.

F-4 holders have significantly broader employment rights than E-9 holders. If you are an ethnic Korean from any country, you may be eligible for F-4 instead of EPS. See the F-4, F-5, and F-6 work rights guide for details. F-4 is entirely separate from the EPS system.

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Sending-country agencies

Your country's designated government agency is your official point of contact for EPS registration, EPS-TOPIK scheduling, contract verification, and pre-departure assistance. All contact with the Korean side goes through HRD Korea (eps.go.kr) and your Korean employer's MOEL registration.

Philippines

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW, formerly POEA) manages EPS for Filipino workers. DMW absorbed POEA in 2021. The official EPS portal is eps.dmw.gov.ph.

No placement fee or broker fee is permitted under Philippine and Korean law. Legitimate costs: exam fee (USD 24 for 2026 EPS-TOPIK), health screening, passport fees, airfare. If anyone asks for more than these official government-authorized amounts, report them to DMW.

Philippines resumed EPS-TOPIK registration on April 20, 2026. The November 2025 Philippines-Korea Joint Memorandum Circular covers the Seasonal Workers Program (E-8) only. It does not change the E-9 EPS registration process.

Vietnam

COLAB (Center of Overseas Labour) manages EPS for Vietnamese workers. As of March 1, 2025, COLAB operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA, Bộ Nội vụ). Vietnam's Resolution 176/2025 merged the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) into MOHA, effective March 1, 2025. Older Vietnamese documents and websites will still reference MOLISA or the legacy colab.gov.vn domain.

Use colab.moha.gov.vn for current information. The legacy colab.gov.vn domain still resolves as of April 2026.

Age eligibility for Vietnamese EPS applicants: 18 to 39 years old (specific birth year cutoffs vary by recruitment cycle; confirm at colab.moha.gov.vn).

Vietnam's EPS program has historically been subject to provincial restrictions, with provinces that had high overstay rates facing exclusion from EPS recruitment. The current status of these provincial restrictions was not confirmed from primary sources at time of publication. Verify current provincial eligibility at colab.moha.gov.vn before applying.

Quick-reference table: other sending countries

Indonesia note: The manufacturing sector uses a two-stage exam. Stage 1 is EPS-TOPIK. Stage 2 is a Skills and Competency Test. The 2025 exam fee was approximately USD 28. Confirm current requirements at bp2mi.go.id.

@misc{seoulstart-eps-korea-guide,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{Korea's Employment Permit System (EPS): How It Works, Who It Admits, and What Happens After (2026)}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/eps-korea-guide},
  note = {Last updated June 4, 2026}
}