South Korea EPS (E-9) Work Visa for Pakistanis 2026: Lucky Draw, EPS-TOPIK, Salary & Process
South Korea is one of the few high-income countries that hires Pakistani workers directly through a government-to-government scheme. It runs through the Employment Permit System (EPS), which places workers on the E-9 “non-professional employment” visa in factories, farms, fishing and construction. In Pakistan the programme is managed by the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC), and 2026 has brought a smaller quota and stiffer competition. Here is how it actually works.
What is the EPS (E-9) visa?
The EPS is a legal, employer-sponsored labour scheme agreed between Pakistan and South Korea. Workers selected under it receive the E-9 visa, which covers manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, construction and some service jobs. It is strictly a work route — not a study or family visa. Your family stays in Pakistan, and the maximum stay is 4 years and 10 months before you must return.
Who can apply from Pakistan?
To be eligible you generally must be a Pakistani citizen aged 18 to 39, hold a passport valid for at least six months, have no criminal record, and have never overstayed or been deported from South Korea. Both men and women can apply. No university degree is required, but you must pass a Korean-language test to move forward.
The 2026 process, step by step
- Watch OEC. Registration windows open on short notice and only through oec.gov.pk — never a private agent. Check the site regularly.
- Pre-register and pay. Submit your details online and deposit the small challan fee at the designated bank.
- The lucky draw. Because far more people apply than there are test seats, OEC runs a computerised ballot (the “job-seeker lucky draw”). Only winners advance to the exam.
- EPS-TOPIK. Selected candidates sit the Korean test — 40 multiple-choice questions (20 listening, 20 reading) in 50 minutes. Selection is by relative ranking against your sector’s quota, not a fixed pass mark, so a higher score is always better.
- Job roster & Korean employer. High scorers enter a jobseeker pool. Korean employers then select workers and issue contracts.
- Visa & travel. After the employer’s approval and a medical check, you receive the E-9 visa and fly out.
Fees, salary and how long it takes
Official costs on the Pakistani side are low — a bank challan of roughly Rs 1,000 plus a test-registration fee of about USD 24. From 1 January 2026, South Korea’s minimum wage rose to ₩10,320 per hour, which works out to around ₩2.15 million a month for a standard 209-hour month, before overtime and deductions. Most EPS workers earn more with overtime. The full journey from registration to departure usually takes many months, and the E-9 quota was reduced for 2026, making the draw more competitive than before.
Beware of agents and fraud
The EPS has no “visa-selling.” No agent can buy you a slot, guarantee the lucky draw, or fast-track the test — anyone who claims otherwise is running a scam. Apply only through OEC, keep your own payment receipts, and never hand your original passport to an unlicensed middleman. If you need help understanding the paperwork, your Police Character Certificate or document attestation, use a licensed consultant.
Planning to work abroad?
Whether it is Korea, the Gulf or Europe, Hijrat’s team in Islamabad and Rawalpindi can help you prepare a clean, correctly attested file so you are ready the moment a window opens. Compare other routes on our visa services page, or read about the Saudi and Qatar work visas.
Visa and EPS rules change frequently, and every application is decided by the Government of South Korea and HRD Korea — not by Hijrat. The fees, quotas, wage figures and processing details quoted here are based on 2026 information and can change without notice. Always confirm the latest requirements, registration dates and costs on the official OEC portal (oec.gov.pk) and HRD Korea EPS website before you pay anything.