E-9 Visa Korea: Non-Professional Employment Visa (EPS) (2026)
Korea's non-professional employment visa, issued under the Employment Permit System (EPS). The most common entry path for migrant workers from 17 sending countries into manufacturing, agriculture, fishery, construction, and service industries.
Reviewed by the Seoulstart Visa Desk
Who this visa is for
Workers from EPS sending countries (Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, and 12 others) hired by Korean employers in non-professional sectors.
E-9 visa key facts
- →EPS (고용허가제) was established in 2003 and has 17 sending countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam
- →The 2026 E-9 visa quota is 80,000 workers, down from 165,000 in 2024
- →Initial E-9 stay is 3 years, extendable by 1 year and 10 months for a total of 4 years 10 months before mandatory exit
- →Workers can change jobs up to 3 times within their visa period under specific conditions
- →Re-entry is possible 6 months after exit if the employer requests the worker back
Read the full guide
E-9 Visa in Korea: The EPS Worker's Practical Guide
Your full guide to Korea's E-9 non-professional employment visa. The EPS process, your rights, wage protection, changing jobs, and claiming your pension refund on exit.
Continue to the full E-9 guideOther Korean visa codes
For the full reference on Korean visa categories, see all Seoulstart visa guides.