Working in South Korea
For Pakistan passport holders · Checked 2026-08-15
South Korea hires Pakistani 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 Pakistan'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
THE MOST A LICENSED AGENT MAY LAWFULLY CHARGE YOU as a service charge is PKR 15,000 (PKR 6,000 if you found the job yourself and only need the paperwork done). You do not hand it over — you deposit it in a bank and the agent is paid only after the Protector of Emigrants confirms you reached the job. Anything he spends on your ticket, medical or visa must come with a signed, stamped receipt.
Rule 15 and 15A, Emigration Rules 1979 (SRO 1058(I)/2023). Charging more is punishable by up to 14 years — Section 22(a), Emigration Ordinance 1979.
⚠️ 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.