After Passing EPS-TOPIK: The Official Steps to Working in Korea

Facts checked: 2026-08-24

Important: passing is only the first gate

Passing EPS-TOPIK does not mean you have a job in Korea. It means you become eligible for the next official steps of the Employment Permit System (EPS). Every step below is handled between the two governments — HRD Korea and your country's sending agency. No private person or company can secure, speed up, or guarantee any of these steps. The official Nepal notice states this directly: passing the language exam "does not ensure employment in Korea; it is only a preliminary selection stage" (checked 2026-08-24).

The official sequence

The EPS process published on eps.go.kr (checked 2026-08-24) follows this order:

1. Korean language test (EPS-TOPIK) — and in countries using the point system, a second-round skills test
2. Job application / roster of jobseekers: passers who also meet health and document checks are registered on the official roster that Korean employers use. Registration on the roster is valid for a limited period (EPS-TOPIK results themselves are valid 2 years, checked 2026-08-24)
3. Labor contract: a Korean employer selects a worker from the roster through the EPS system; if selected, you receive a Standard Labor Contract stating wage, hours and workplace, and you decide whether to sign
4. Visa: after the contract, a Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance (CCVI) is issued and you apply for the E-9 visa at the Korean embassy per your country's procedure
5. Pre-departure training in your country (Korean language, culture, safety), then entry to Korea on the scheduled flight arranged through the official process
6. Employment training after arrival, then you move to your workplace

What being on the roster means

Employers choose from the roster; workers cannot choose a specific company, and being on the roster does not guarantee selection. If you are not selected during the roster validity period, you may need to take the test again — conditions are in each round's official notice.

Protect yourself

Pay only the official costs published in government notices (test fee, medical check, visa, training, airfare as itemized by your sending agency)
Anyone claiming they can "arrange" a Korean employer for extra money is acting outside the official system — report them to your sending agency
Track your own status only on official channels: eps.go.kr, epstopik.hrdkorea.or.kr, and your country's agency site (checked 2026-08-24)