Checklist: Before You Come to Korea and Your First Month in Korea (for E-9 Workers from Nepal)

Who this is for

• People from Nepal who passed the EPS-TOPIK and are getting ready to work in Korea
• People who signed a 근로계약서 (employment contract) and are waiting for their departure date
• E-9 workers who arrived in Korea less than one month ago

Steps in Nepal (before you come to Korea)

1. Take and pass the EPS-TOPIK — EPS Korea Section (Gwarkho, Lalitpur) handles registration and the test. To take the test, you must be between 18 and 39 years old (international age). You must have no criminal record of imprisonment or heavier punishment, and you must never have been deported from Korea. For some job types, there is also a skills test (physical fitness, basic skills, interview).
2. Health check — You get it at a hospital chosen by the sending agency. You must pass it before you can apply for a job.
3. Register on the job seeker roster — Apply during the job application period. EPS Korea Section makes the roster (the list of job seekers) and sends it to 한국산업인력공단 (HRD Korea, the Human Resources Development Service of Korea). The roster has a valid period. If no employer chooses you within this period, you must take the test again. Check the exact period in EPS Korea Section notices.
4. Employer chooses you and you sign the employment contract — When a Korean employer chooses you from the roster, 한국산업인력공단 sends you a standard employment contract. Read the wage, working hours, job type and housing, and agree. You get 1 copy of the contract. Before you sign, read How to check your employment contract.
5. Labour permit (श्रम स्वीकृति) and welfare fund payment — You need a labour permit from Nepal's Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) before you can leave Nepal. You also pay into the Foreign Employment Welfare Fund at the same time. Only workers with a labour permit can get welfare fund compensation in case of death or accident. Check the amount and documents in EPS Korea Section notices.
6. Pre-departure training — You take 45 hours or more at the sending agency. It covers Korean language (38 hours), Korean culture (4 hours), the Labour Standards Act (Korea's basic labour law) and how to make complaints (2 hours), and workplace safety (1 hour). The total hours can change, so follow EPS Korea Section notices.
7. Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance (CCVI) and visa — When your employer gets the CCVI from Korea's Ministry of Justice, EPS Korea Section posts a list of names. With this document, you apply for an E-9 visa at the Korean Embassy in Nepal.
8. Departure — EPS Korea Section announces your departure date and flight. You leave Nepal together with a group, led by staff from the sending agency.

The official costs are only the items announced by EPS Korea Section, such as the test fee, health check fee, welfare fund, visa fee and flight ticket. Anyone who asks for other money is a broker.

Checklist: things to prepare before you come

• Passport — Check that it is valid for well longer than your contract period (3 years). If not, renew it before you leave.
• Copy of your 근로계약서 (employment contract) — Bring paper copies in Korean and English (or Nepali).
• Visa and a copy of the CCVI
• 6 or more ID photos — You will need them again and again for alien registration, the bank and insurance papers. White background, taken within the last 6 months.
• Health check results, your medicines, and prescriptions in English
• Digital copies — Save your passport, contract and photos on your phone and in cloud storage. Also send them to your family.
• Cash for the first weeks — It may be hard to open a bank account before you get your 외국인등록증 (alien registration card). Bring enough money for about one month, until your first salary. Nepali rupees are hard to exchange at Korean banks. US dollars are easy to change into Korean won at the airport or a bank.
• Winter clothes — In Korean winter, the temperature goes below minus 10 degrees. Bring a thick jacket, gloves and thermal underwear.
• Work clothes and safety shoes — Ask in advance if the company gives them.
• A paper with family and company contact numbers — Use it when your phone is off.

Customs and quarantine: things you must not bring

• Meat and dairy products such as meat, dried meat, sausage, ham, milk and cheese — Not allowed.
• Fresh fruit and fruit vegetables — Not allowed. Seeds, young plants and bulbs need a quarantine certificate from the Nepal government.
• If you bring these things without declaring them and you are caught, the fine is up to 1,000만원 (10 million won). If you brought them, declare them at the arrival hall to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (농림축산검역본부).
• Medicine — Medicine for personal use is allowed up to 6 bottles or 3 months' supply. Medicine with narcotic ingredients, such as sleeping pills, needs approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (식품의약품안전처) in advance. Bring your prescription with it.
• Cash — If you bring more than 10,000 US dollars, declare it at customs.

Your first month in Korea, step by step

1. Arrival at the airport — After immigration check, 한국산업인력공단 staff check you and hand you over to a guide from the employment training center. You do not travel alone. Your employment contract starts from the day you enter Korea.
2. Employment training (within 15 days of entry) — You take training at a training center for your country and job type: 3 days and 2 nights, 16 hours or more. You learn about the Employment Permit System, the Labour Standards Act, workplace safety and life in Korea. The employer pays for it. The training period counts as time worked.
3. Health check — You get it at the training center during training. You go to the company only if there is no problem.
4. EPS insurance — Usually done during training. The worker buys return cost insurance (within 3 months from the contract start date; 50만 원 (500,000 won) for Nepal) and accident insurance (within 15 days). The employer buys departure guarantee insurance and wage guarantee insurance (within 15 days). For details, see How to get departure guarantee insurance and return cost insurance.
5. Going to your workplace — When your health check has no problem and you finish training, the employer (or a staff member they send) comes to the training center to pick you up. Check that the workplace is the same company and job type as in your contract.
6. Alien registration (within 90 days from the day you enter) — Apply at the 출입국·외국인관서 (immigration office) that covers your company's address. You need your passport, a photo and an application form. The fee is 3만5천원 (35,000 won, cash). Usually the company helps you apply. In your first week, ask the company who will apply and when. It takes a few weeks to get the card.
7. Health insurance — The employer must report you to health insurance within 14 days from your start date. Half of the insurance fee is taken from your salary. Read Health insurance: joining and fees.
8. Check the 4 major insurances — The employer pays all of the industrial accident insurance (insurance for work injuries). For the national pension, Nepali nationals are told they are not covered. Check All about the 4 major insurances.
9. Bank account — When you get your 외국인등록증, go to a bank with your employment contract (or a certificate of employment). Some banks open an account before you have the card, with your passport and contract. See Opening a bank account and getting a debit card. You receive your salary into an account in your own name.
10. Mobile phone — Before you get your card, open a prepaid SIM with your passport. The steps are in How to open a prepaid phone with only your passport.
11. Getting ready to send money home — When you have a bank account and a phone, compare ways to send money. See Comparing ways to send money.
12. Check dormitory and food and housing costs — To take food and housing costs from your salary, the employer needs your written consent. Compare the amount and the facilities with Dormitory rules and food and housing costs.
13. Check your first 급여명세서 (pay slip) — When you get your first salary, compare the basic pay, overtime pay and deductions (money taken out) on the pay slip with your contract. The 2026 minimum wage is 10,320원 per hour and 2,156,880원 per month (40 hours a week).
14. Learn the rules for changing workplaces — Read Changing workplaces in advance. It explains the reasons and number of times you can change companies, and the 1-month and 3-month deadlines.

Be careful

• Do not give money to brokers. Only the government and public agencies handle E-9. Any promise like "I will send you faster" or "I will move you to a better company" is a scam.
• Do not give your passport to the company. If a company takes your passport or 외국인등록증, it can be punished. See Taking your passport or alien registration card is illegal for what to do.
• Do not sign papers you do not understand. You can ask for an interpreter. Always get a copy of any paper you sign.
• Do not lend your name. If you open a phone, bankbook or bank account in your name and give it to someone else, it is a crime.
• Report changes of address or phone number. If you miss messages from the 고용센터 (Employment Center) or the 출입국·외국인관서, you can face disadvantages.
• Learn basic Korean for the workplace in advance at Basic Korean for the workplace.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Do I have to go from the airport to the company alone? A. No. You go together from the airport to the employment training center. When training ends, someone from the company comes to pick you up.

Q. Do I get paid during employment training? A. Your employment contract starts from the day you enter Korea. Check on your first pay slip how the training period was paid. If something looks wrong, call 1577-0071.

Q. Can I go to a hospital without a 외국인등록증? A. Yes. Bring your passport. The employer reports you to health insurance within 14 days. To check if you are covered by health insurance, ask your company or 국민건강보험공단 (National Health Insurance Service) at 1577-1000.

Q. Can I bring Nepali food ingredients? A. Meat, dairy products and fresh fruit are not allowed. Dried spices and sealed processed food are mostly allowed. If you are not sure, ask the quarantine office at the arrival hall.

Where to get help

• Immigration Contact Center 1345 (Nepali available; from abroad +82-2-1345)
• 고용노동부 (Ministry of Employment and Labor) Call Center 1350 (wages, working hours, changing workplaces)
• Migrant Worker Counseling Center 1577-0071 (Nepali available; problems under the Employment Permit System)
• 한국산업인력공단 1644-8000 (employment training, EPS insurance)
• EPS Korea Section (Nepal) — Phone 01-5186349 / 01-5186350, epsnepal.gov.np
• Embassy of Nepal in Korea — 서울특별시 성북구 선잠로2길 19 (19 Seonjam-ro 2-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul), email eonseoul@mofa.gov.np, labour issues labourkorea@mofa.gov.np, weekdays 09:30~17:30. Check the phone number on the embassy website (kr.nepalembassy.gov.np).
• Emergency 112 (police), 119 (ambulance)
• For more numbers, see All help contacts.