How pay works for EPS workers in Korea
Workers who go to Korea through the Employment Permit System (E-9 visa) are covered by the Korean Minimum Wage Act, the same as Korean workers. In 2026 the minimum wage is 10,320 won an hour. Your employer can pay more, but not less.
Korean monthly pay is not simply "hours worked x hourly rate". A full-time worker on a 40-hour week also gets paid for one rest day each week (주휴수당, weekly holiday allowance). Averaged over a month, that comes to 209 paid hours, so the minimum monthly salary in 2026 is 10,320 x 209 = 2,156,880 won. This is the starting point the calculator uses.
Overtime, night work and holidays
Most EPS jobs in manufacturing include overtime, and this is where monthly pay grows. Under the Labor Standards Act:
- Overtime (hours beyond 40 a week) is paid at 1.5 times the hourly wage.
- Night work between 10 pm and 6 am earns an extra 0.5 times on top of the normal pay for that hour. A night hour that is also overtime pays 2 times.
- Holiday work on a rest day or public holiday is paid at 1.5 times for the first 8 hours.
Two groups of workplaces do not have to pay these premiums: businesses with fewer than 5 employees, and farming, livestock and fishing work. In those jobs extra hours are paid at the normal rate. Agriculture and livestock are common EPS sectors, so switch off "premium pay" in the calculator if that is where you expect to work.
Why take-home pay is lower
The figure on your contract is gross pay. Before it reaches your bank account, your employer takes out:
- Health insurance, about 3.6% of pay, plus long-term care insurance charged on top of it.
- Employment insurance, 0.9% of pay.
- Income tax and local tax. On a salary near the minimum wage this is usually small, around 1 to 3%.
- Dormitory and meals, if the employer provides them and you agreed to the deduction in writing.
National pension is not normally deducted for Nepali E-9 workers, because Nepal is on Korea's reciprocity list. Rules can change, so check your payslip in your first month. If pension is taken, you can usually claim it back as a lump sum when you leave Korea.
Separately from salary, EPS workers are covered by departure guarantee insurance (출국만기보험), which your employer pays and you receive when you leave Korea after your contract. It is not included in the monthly figures here.
Turning won into rupees
The calculator converts using the Nepal Rastra Bank buying rate for the Korean won, which is updated every working day. Banks and remittance companies use their own rates and fees, so the amount that reaches Nepal will be a little different. Treat the rupee figure as a guide to what your work is worth, not a promise.
What decides how much you earn
The biggest difference between workers is overtime. Two workers on the same minimum wage can earn very different amounts depending on the factory, the season and the sector. Ask your sending agency and look at the job contract you are offered, which states the wage, working hours and what can be deducted.
Getting the job comes first. Every EPS worker has to pass the EPS-TOPIK Korean test before being placed with an employer, and the score decides who is selected. Practising in the real test format is the most direct thing you can do today.
Wage rules checked on 17 October 2026. Sources: Minimum Wage Commission (2026 rate), National Pension Service: guide for foreigners.