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South Korea work visa requirements for Nepali citizens

For Nepal passport holders · Checked 2026-08-15

Route with conditions

South Korea hires Nepali workers almost entirely through the government-to-government EPS scheme — which means there is no agent to pay, and passing the Korean-language test is the actual gate.

What the employer must have

The Korean employer must be approved to hire under the Employment Permit System and must select you from the EPS roster — employers pick workers, workers do not apply to employers.
The contract must pay at least the Korean minimum wage, which is KRW 10,320 per hour for 2026.
The E-9 visa is for non-professional work in the approved sectors (manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, construction, some services).

What you must do before you leave

Register only through Nepal's own government EPS office. EPS runs on a memorandum between the two governments, so your government's agency is the ONLY body that can put you on the roster.
Pass the EPS-TOPIK Korean language test and the skills test. There is no way around them and no one can sit them for you — this is the real selection, and the 2026 intake quota fell to 80,000 from 130,000 in 2025, so scores decide who goes.
After you pass you go onto the worker roster and wait for a Korean employer to choose you. Nobody can guarantee or accelerate that selection.
Check any Korea offer against your government EPS office before paying a rupee, taka or peso to anyone.

Things to watch

NO PRIVATE BROKER MAY CHARGE YOU A PLACEMENT FEE FOR EPS. It is a government-to-government scheme; an agent offering a Korea job for money is offering something they have no power to give.
The E-9 stay is capped at 4 years and 10 months, and your family cannot accompany you.
Korea publishes the roster and selection results through the official EPS system — results circulated only by an agent, on paper or over WhatsApp, are not proof of anything.

What you may lawfully be charged

Outside the free-visa free-ticket countries there is no single published ceiling — ask the agency to write down every charge and check it against DoFE before you pay.

Foreign Employment Act 2064; DoFE.

⚠️ Never pay anyone for a job offer or a visa on this route. Legitimate employers and licensed agents do not charge workers for jobs.

Official sources

This describes the immigration system, not your personal case, and not this specific vacancy.

Common questions

Can a Nepali passport holder work in South Korea?

South Korea hires Nepali workers almost entirely through the government-to-government EPS scheme — which means there is no agent to pay, and passing the Korean-language test is the actual gate.

What does an employer in South Korea need before hiring a Nepali worker?

The Korean employer must be approved to hire under the Employment Permit System and must select you from the EPS roster — employers pick workers, workers do not apply to employers. The contract must pay at least the Korean minimum wage, which is KRW 10,320 per hour for 2026. The E-9 visa is for non-professional work in the approved sectors (manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, construction, some services).

What must a Nepali citizen do before leaving to work in South Korea?

Register only through Nepal's own government EPS office. EPS runs on a memorandum between the two governments, so your government's agency is the ONLY body that can put you on the roster. Pass the EPS-TOPIK Korean language test and the skills test. There is no way around them and no one can sit them for you — this is the real selection, and the 2026 intake quota fell to 80,000 from 130,000 in 2025, so scores decide who goes. After you pass you go onto the worker roster and wait for a Korean employer to choose you. Nobody can guarantee or accelerate that selection. Check any Korea offer against your government EPS office before paying a rupee, taka or peso to anyone.

What should Nepali workers watch out for with South Korea job offers?

NO PRIVATE BROKER MAY CHARGE YOU A PLACEMENT FEE FOR EPS. It is a government-to-government scheme; an agent offering a Korea job for money is offering something they have no power to give. The E-9 stay is capped at 4 years and 10 months, and your family cannot accompany you. Korea publishes the roster and selection results through the official EPS system — results circulated only by an agent, on paper or over WhatsApp, are not proof of anything.

Should I pay an agent for a job in South Korea?

No. Never pay anyone for a job offer, a visa, or a place on a list. Legitimate recruitment for this route does not require the worker to pay for the job itself. Verify any agent against the official registers linked on this page.

Other countries Nepali citizens can work in

All work visa guides

92 live South Korea vacancies for Nepali workers

From job boards and overseas-employment registers. We do not yet hold Nepal's own national register for this country, so these are not nationality-filtered.

Shipbuilding Welder
TOP KOREA CO.LTD · South Korea
Shipbuilding Welder (SMAW 6GR)
TOP KOREA CO.LTD · South Korea · 2100000 Won (KRW)
Shipbuilding Welder (FCAW 3G)
TOP KOREA CO.LTD · South Korea · 2100000 Won (KRW)
Akuakultur
KS INTERNATIONAL CO.LTD · South Korea · 2600000 - 2800000 Won (KRW)
Electrician
HANWHA OCEAN CO.LTD. · South Korea · 2570000 Won (KRW)
Painter
HANWHA OCEAN CO.LTD. · South Korea · 2570000 Won (KRW)
Shipbuilding Welder
HSG SUNGDONG SHIPBUILDING CO.LTD · South Korea · 2507760 Won (KRW)
Painter
KOIN POWER CO.LTD · South Korea · 2511250 - 3000000 Won (KRW)
Welder
KOIN POWER CO.LTD · South Korea · 2511250 - 3000000 Won (KRW)
Welder
KOIN POWER CO.LTD · South Korea · 2511250 - 3000000 Won (KRW)
Painter
KOIN POWER CO.LTD · South Korea · 2511250 - 3000000 Won (KRW)
Shipbuilding Welder
KOIN POWER CO.LTD · South Korea · 2160000 Won (KRW)

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