You can apply to change workplace at the 고용센터 in your company's area or online: rules for moving to a company in another region

Apply at the 고용센터 in your company's area or through EPS. If you entered Korea in or after September 2023, you move only within your region and industry.

✓ Last verified 2026-10-13📎 Sources 17

Quick summary

The basic rule is that you apply for a workplace change at the 고용센터 (Job Center, the public employment office) that covers the address of the company where you worked (Enforcement Rule of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 16).
If it is hard to go to the 고용센터, you can log in to EPS (www.eps.go.kr) and apply online. When you do this, you write the industry you want and the work area you want.
You can also move to a company in another area. But if you are an E-9 worker who first entered Korea in or after September 2023, the basic rule is that you can move only within the same region and the same industry. Matching from a non-capital region to the Capital Area (Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi) is not allowed.
There are two deadlines. You must apply within 1 month from the day your employment contract ended. Then you must get work-place change permission for a new company within 3 months from the day you applied. If you miss the deadline, as a rule you must leave Korea (Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 25(3)).
If you move to another area, you must report your change of address within 15 days from the day you move in.

Who is this for

E-9 workers who work at a company outside the big cities, for example in Gangwon-do, and want to change company
People who are staying at a friend's home in another area after their employment contract ended
People who think, "I want to go to a company in Seoul or Gyeonggi"

First, check this. An E-9 worker cannot change company freely at any time. There must be a set reason. For example, the employer ended the contract, the employer refused to renew it after it ended, or the employer did something wrong, such as not paying wages (Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 25(1)). The reasons and the number of allowed changes are in Workplace change – reasons, steps, number of times.

Which 고용센터 do I go to

Basic rule: the 고용센터 that covers the address of the company where you worked. The Enforcement Rule says you submit the application to "the employment security office (고용센터) with jurisdiction over the location". This means the 고용센터 that covers the workplace address.
How to find the 고용센터: On 고용24 (www.work24.go.kr, the government employment website), use "고용센터 찾기" (Find a Job Center) to find the 고용센터 for the area where your company is. Call that 고용센터 and check that it covers your company. To ask in Nepali, call 1577-0071.
Online application: EPS → 일반외국인서비스 (General Foreigner Service) → log in → 사업장변경신청 (Workplace Change Application). Write the reason, the industry you want, the work area you want, wage, and contact details. It is not confirmed that every reason can be submitted online. Depending on the reason, you may need a document such as the 「사업장변경 사유 확인서」 (Workplace Change Reason Confirmation). Check with the 고용센터 first.
If you already went to another area: Before you travel far, think about applying online first. If you want to go to a 고용센터 in another area in person, first call your original 고용센터 or 1577-0071 and check where you should apply.
Processing time: The 고용센터 processes the application within 15 days from the day it receives it. If it cannot be helped, it can extend this once, by up to 15 days.

Can I move to a company in another area

People who first entered Korea in or after September 2023: You can change workplace only within a set region and industry (decision of the Foreign Workforce Policy Committee, July 2023).
There are 5 regions: They are in the revised guideline of 고용노동부 (Ministry of Employment and Labor) (in force from 7 February 2025, EPS notice). ① Capital Area (Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi) ② Gyeongnam region (Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongnam) ③ Gyeongbuk-Gangwon region (Daegu, Gyeongbuk, Gangwon) ④ Jeolla-Jeju region (Gwangju, Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, Jeju) ⑤ Chungcheong region (Daejeon, Sejong, Chungbuk, Chungnam).
Which region counts: The basic rule is matching within the region where the company that gave you your first employment permit is located. If you came in under the special re-entry program, the company with that employment permit counts.
Which region is Gangwon-do in: Gangwon-do is in the Gyeongbuk-Gangwon region, together with Daegu and Gyeongbuk.
Matching to the Capital Area is not allowed: The guideline does not allow matching from a non-capital region to the Capital Area. A person who moved from the Capital Area to a non-capital region also cannot be matched back to the Capital Area.
Moving to a company in a non-capital region: The guideline says that if you want, you can be matched to a company in a non-capital region. Ask the 고용센터 whether you can go directly to a non-capital company outside your own region.
If there is no matching for 1 month: If there is not even one match for 1 month after you apply for a workplace change, you can be matched to another non-capital region. This applies to all industries. Even in this case, the Capital Area is not included. If you did not get matched because of personal reasons, such as leaving Korea for a short time, the labor office can decide to limit your move to another region.
To know how the rules apply to you, ask the 고용센터 directly: "Up to which areas can I go for a new company?"
Some specific industries, such as shipbuilding: You can move only within the same industry.
From manufacturing to another industry: In May 2025, the Foreign Workforce Policy Committee decided to allow workers to move from manufacturing to services and some other industries when they change workplace. Ask the 고용센터 which industries you can go to.
People who entered Korea before September 2023: It was announced that this region limit applies to new arrivals from September 2023. If your case is unclear, for example if you re-entered Korea, ask the 고용센터.
If you move because the employer did something wrong: We could not confirm in official materials whether the same limits apply. Ask the 고용센터 when you apply.
In June 2026, 고용노동부 said it will work to improve the workplace change system. If the rules change, follow what the 고용센터 tells you.

How does matching to another area work

The new company applies for an employment permit at the 고용센터 in that company's area.
That 고용센터 recommends job seekers who meet the conditions (Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 25(2), Article 8(3)).
So you can get matched even if the 고용센터 where you applied and the new company's area are different. If you entered Korea in or after September 2023, this is within the region limits.
Only the 고용센터 can do matching. Other people cannot (Article 8(6)). A person who says "Pay me and I will get you into a Capital Area company" is a broker.
How to choose after you get a matching text message is in 고용센터 matching: how to choose a company.

Steps

Get advice before you quit. Ask the 고용센터 or 1577-0071 if you can move for your reason. Do not just stop going to work. If the company asks you to sign a resignation letter, get advice before you sign. If it is treated as if you quit by yourself, it is hard to prove that the employer did something wrong.
When your contract ends, apply within 1 month. Go to the 고용센터 in the company's area or apply through EPS.
Write the industry and the area you want. If you write a very small area, you may get fewer matches.
Check the dates on your 구직등록필증 (job seeker registration certificate). How to read it is in How to read the 구직등록필증.
Get matched and go to job interviews. When the new company is decided, the employment permit and the 근로계약서 (employment contract) are processed.
Get work-place change permission. You get it from 출입국·외국인관서 (Immigration Office). Check how to apply on 하이코리아 (HiKorea, the immigration website). Start work only after you get permission.
If you move, report your change of address within 15 days. How to do this is in Reissuing your 외국인등록증 and reporting a change of address.

What to bring

외국인등록증 (Alien Registration Card), passport
근로계약서, and any text message or document that shows the contract ended (if you have one)
If you move because the employer did something wrong: evidence such as 급여명세서 (pay slips), bank account records, photos, recordings
A mobile phone number that can receive text messages
The workplace change application (Form No. 13 or Form No. 13-2) is available at the 고용센터.

Be careful

Do not stop going to work without telling anyone. If you are absent for 5 days or more without proper procedure, such as the employer's approval, the company must file an employment change report with the 고용센터 (Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 17; Enforcement Decree, Article 23). People often call this a "이탈 신고" (desertion report).
If you have already stopped going to the company, contact the 고용센터 in your original company's area or 1577-0071 (Nepali) today and check your status. The longer you wait, the higher the risk of a desertion report.
The 3 months keep counting down while you move. Plan your move based on how many days you have left.
If you could not apply because of a work injury, illness, pregnancy, childbirth or similar, the application deadline counts from the day that reason ends (Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 25(3), proviso). In this case, take documents that prove the reason to the 고용센터 and apply for a 「사업장 변경 신청기간 연장」 (extension of the workplace change application period).
Do not work at the new company before you get permission. You must get work-place change permission in advance (Immigration Act, Article 21).
If you do not report your change of address, you can get a fine of up to 1,000,000원 (Immigration Act, Article 98, item 2). The address and phone number where you get matching contacts must also be correct.
If your phone number changes, tell the 고용센터 right away.

Frequently asked questions

Q. If I quit a company in Gangwon-do, must I go to the 고용센터 in Gangwon-do? A. The basic rule is the 고용센터 that covers the address of the company where you worked. If it is hard to go there, you can apply online on EPS. First check with your original 고용센터 or 1577-0071 whether you can apply at another place.

Q. I worked in Gangwon-do. Can I go to a company in Seoul or Gyeonggi? A. If you entered Korea in or after September 2023, the basic rule is that you move within the region where the company with your first employment permit is located. Gangwon-do is in the Gyeongbuk-Gangwon region. Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi are the Capital Area. The guideline does not allow matching from a non-capital region to the Capital Area. The Capital Area is also not included in the 1-month no-matching exception. The rules can change, so ask the 고용센터.

Q. Can I move to a friend's home in another area first? A. If your employment contract has ended, or after you have applied for a workplace change at the 고용센터, you can move. If your contract has not ended yet, first get advice from the 고용센터 or 1577-0071. Do not leave the company without telling them. If you move, report your change of address within 15 days from the day you move in. The 1-month application deadline and the 3-month job search period keep counting, even if you move. In the guideline, the region that counts is where the company with your first employment permit is. It is not where you live. Check with the 고용센터 first which areas you can go to.

Q. Someone I know says they will introduce me to a company in another area. A. Only the 고용센터 can do matching. When that company applies for an employment permit at the 고용센터, the 고용센터 recommends job seekers who meet the conditions. There is no guarantee that you will be the one recommended. If you entered Korea in or after September 2023, the region and industry limits also apply. If someone asks you for an introduction fee, say no and tell the 고용센터.

Q. I applied online but nobody has contacted me. A. Check 민원신청진행현황 (application progress status) on EPS, and call the 고용센터. As a rule, the 고용센터 processes applications within 15 days from the day it receives them. The 3-month job search period keeps counting down from the day you applied. If a few days pass and nobody contacts you, do not wait. Call them.

Where to get help

Organization	Phone / website	What they help with
고용노동부 Customer Counseling Center	1350 (weekdays 09:00~18:00, paid call)	Which 고용센터 covers you, the workplace change system (for Nepali, call 1577-0071)
Foreign Workforce Counseling Center (외국인력상담센터)	1577-0071 (every day of the year, 09:00~18:00)	Advice on workplace change, Nepali available
Immigration Contact Center (외국인종합안내센터)	1345 (weekdays 09:00~22:00; after 18:00 only Korean, English, Chinese)	Change of address, work-place change permission, Nepali available
고용24	www.work24.go.kr	Find a 고용센터
EPS	www.eps.go.kr	Online workplace change application, progress status
하이코리아	www.hikorea.go.kr	Information on work-place change permission, change of address report (can be done online)

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Legal basis

외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률 제25조(사업 또는 사업장 변경의 허용) — 제1항제1호 사용자의 정당한 계약 해지 또는 계약 만료 후 갱신 거절, 직업안정기관의 장에게 신청, 계약 종료 후 1개월 이내 신청, 신청 후 3개월 이내 근무처 변경허가, 기한을 넘기면 출국(제3항 본문), 업무상 재해·질병·임신·출산 등으로 신청할 수 없으면 그 사유가 없어진 날부터 기간 계산(제3항 단서) (Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 25 (Permission to change workplace): para. 1, item 1: the employer ends the contract for a valid reason, or refuses to renew it after it ends. You apply to the head of the employment security office. You must apply within 1 month after the contract ends. You must get workplace change permission within 3 months after applying. If you miss the deadline, you must leave Korea (para. 3, main text). If you cannot apply because of a work injury, illness, pregnancy, childbirth or similar, the period counts from the day that reason ends (para. 3, proviso))
외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률 제17조제1항·시행령 제23조제1항제3호 — 정당한 절차 없이 5일 이상 결근하거나 소재를 알 수 없으면 사용자가 직업안정기관에 신고하여야 함 (Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 17(1) and Enforcement Decree Article 23(1)3: if a worker is absent for 5 days or more without proper procedure, or nobody knows where the worker is, the employer must report it to the employment security office)
외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률 시행규칙 제16조(사업 또는 사업장의 변경) — 사업장 변경신청서를 소재지관할 직업안정기관의 장에게 제출, 접수일부터 15일 이내 처리(15일 이내 1회 연장 가능), (필요시) 사업장변경 사유 확인서, 신청기간 연장은 별지 제13호의3서식과 업무상 재해·질병·임신·출산 등 사유 증명 서류 (Enforcement Rule of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 16 (Change of workplace): submit the workplace change application to the head of the employment security office that covers the workplace location. It is processed within 15 days from receipt (one extension of up to 15 days is possible). If needed, a workplace change reason confirmation form. To extend the application period: Form No. 13-3 and documents proving work injury, illness, pregnancy, childbirth or similar)
외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률 시행규칙 제5조제1항 — 소재지관할 직업안정기관 = 사업 또는 사업장의 소재지를 관할하는 직업안정기관 (Enforcement Rule of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 5(1): the employment security office with jurisdiction over the location means the office that covers the area where the business or workplace is located)
외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률 제25조제2항(재취업 고용 시 제6조·제8조·제9조 준용)·제8조제3항 — 직업안정기관(고용센터)이 사용자에게 적격자 추천 · 제8조제6항 — 직업안정기관이 아닌 자의 선발·알선 개입 금지 (Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, Article 25(2) (Articles 6, 8 and 9 also apply to re-employment) and Article 8(3): the employment security office (고용센터) recommends suitable workers to the employer · Article 8(6): anyone other than an employment security office is not allowed to take part in selecting or matching workers)
출입국관리법 제21조(근무처의 변경·추가) — 미리 법무부장관의 허가 (Immigration Act, Article 21 (Change or addition of workplace): you must get permission from the Minister of Justice in advance)
출입국관리법 제36조제1항(체류지 변경의 신고) — 전입한 날부터 15일 이내 · 제98조제2호 — 위반 시 100만원 이하의 벌금 (Immigration Act, Article 36(1) (Report of change of address): within 15 days from the day you move in · Article 98, item 2: if you break this rule, a fine of up to 1,000,000원)
외국인력정책위원회 의결(2023-07-05) — 2023년 9월 신규입국자부터 일정한 권역과 업종 안에서만 사업장 변경 허용 (Foreign Workforce Policy Committee decision (2023-07-05): starting with new arrivals from September 2023, workplace change is allowed only within a set region and industry)
고용노동부 「권역 내 사업장변경 허용 관련 개정지침」(2025-02-07 시행, EPS 공지 2025-02-07·2025-04-08 재안내) — 5개 권역(수도권·경남권·경북강원권·전라제주권·충청권, 현행 유지), 최초 고용허가(신규·재입국특례) 사업장 소재 권역 내 알선 원칙, 희망 시 비수도권역 알선 가능, 비수도권→수도권 알선 및 수도권→비수도권 이동 후 수도권 재알선 금지, 전 업종 신청 후 1개월 동안 알선 자체가 없으면 타 비수도권역 알선 가능(기존 건설·서비스·조선업만), 개인 사정으로 알선을 받지 않은 경우 지방관서 판단으로 제한 (Ministry of Employment and Labor, revised guideline on allowing workplace change within a region (in force 2025-02-07; EPS notice 2025-02-07, repeated 2025-04-08): 5 regions (Capital Area, Gyeongnam, Gyeongbuk-Gangwon, Jeolla-Jeju, Chungcheong; no change). Matching is in principle within the region of the workplace with the first employment permit (new entry or special re-entry). If the worker wants, matching to a non-capital region is possible. Matching from a non-capital region to the Capital Area is not allowed. A worker who moved from the Capital Area to a non-capital region cannot be matched back to the Capital Area. For all industries, if there is no matching at all for 1 month after applying, matching to another non-capital region is possible (before, only construction, services and shipbuilding). If the worker did not get matched because of personal reasons, the local office can decide to limit this)
외국인력정책위원회 결정사항 공고 제2025-228호(제47차, 2025-05-24) — E-9 사업장 변경 시 제조업에서 서비스업 등 소수업종으로 업종간 변경 허용 (Foreign Workforce Policy Committee decision notice No. 2025-228 (47th meeting, 2025-05-24): when an E-9 worker changes workplace, moving from manufacturing to services and some other small industries is allowed)

Sources

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