If you are preparing for EPS Korea, you have probably heard three different versions of how selection works. One says the language exam is everything. Another says the skills test is what really matters. A third says it is all luck.
None of these is quite right. Korea’s Employment Permit System recruits through a Point-Based Selection System. That system looks at several things together: your Korean ability, your physical fitness, your basic work skills and, if you can document it, your job experience. Your final result comes from the combined score. The language exam is only the first gate.
This guide explains the system in plain language. It covers how the rounds connect, how the points work and where bonus points come from. It also covers what happens after you pass and how Nepal’s 2026 round fits in. Rules are updated from time to time, so wherever a detail matters, the guide tells you where to confirm it before you act.
The Short Answer: What Is the EPS Point-Based Selection System?
The point-based system is the method Korea uses to choose foreign workers from each sending country under the EPS. Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor supervises it and HRD Korea (the Human Resources Development Service of Korea) runs it. In Nepal, the Department of Foreign Employment’s EPS Korea Section handles the local side.
The official notices describe the goal like this: recruit workers on a comprehensive assessment of Korean proficiency, physical fitness, skills and job capacity. Employers get a fuller picture than a single language score can give. A candidate whose Korean is modest can still compete if they are physically capable, skilled and experienced.
Nepal’s 2026 first-phase notice uses this exact wording. It says the estimated number of successful candidates “under the Point-Based Selection System” is 7,200.
| Element | What it means |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | EPS-TOPIK language exam (40 questions, 100 points, 50 minutes) plus a colour-vision check |
| Round 2 | Skills Test: physical fitness, Korean-language interview and basic skills task |
| Bonus points | Up to 5 extra points for relevant experience, training, education and a Korean national certificate |
| Final result | The highest combined scores in each industry, up to its quota |
| Validity | Two years from the date results are announced |
| What it is not | A job offer. It qualifies you for the roster that employers choose from |
Why Korea Moved Beyond a Single Exam
Nepal and Korea signed their EPS agreement on 23 July 2007, and the first workers’ recruitment began the following year. For a long time the story for Nepali candidates was simple: pass the Korean language test and your name goes onto a roster.
That model had a weakness. Korean employers wanted workers who could do the job, not only follow instructions in Korean. Officials in Nepal said in 2019 that the skills test was being introduced partly because many selected workers lacked the skills for the work they were chosen for. Nepal’s rules were changed so candidates would need to do well in a skills test as well as the language test, with the new requirement taking effect from 2020.
HRD Korea’s own explanation of the point system adds a second argument. Even if an applicant’s Korean is low, their chances of being hired improve if they are assessed as a diligent worker with strong skills and enough work experience. Put simply, the system is built to reward the whole person, not only the exam score.
How the Two Rounds Fit Together
Think of the system as a funnel with two stages.
| Stage | What happens | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Application | You apply for one industry and one sub-sector through the sending agency | One application per person |
| Round 1 | EPS-TOPIK plus colour-vision assessment | The highest scorers above each industry’s minimum score move on. The standard framework screens down to about 1.1 times the quota, including ties |
| Round 2 | Skills Test, plus the optional Job Capacity Assessment for bonus points | Those scoring under the minimum in the Skills Test are screened out |
| Final selection | Round 1 and Round 2 scores are combined | The highest scorers fill each industry’s quota |
| Roster | Health screening, then registration on the job seekers’ roster | Employers select from recommended candidates |
Two rules shape your planning. First, each applicant may submit only one application, and the industry you pick cannot be changed after you pass Round 1. Second, candidates who clear Round 1 must also take and pass Round 2 to be eligible for final consideration. Nepal’s 2026 notice states this directly.
Round 1: The EPS-TOPIK Exam
Format and scoring
EPS-TOPIK is a multiple-choice test with 20 reading questions and 20 listening questions, 40 in total. Each section is worth 50 points and lasts 25 minutes, so the full exam is 100 points over 50 minutes. In Nepal it is taken on a computer-based system: the 2026 notice names the UBT Building in Bhaisepati, Lalitpur as the venue, with up to five shifts per day.
You may still see “pass mark 80 out of 200” on older websites and videos. That belongs to the earlier format. The current test is scored out of 100 and does not work with a fixed pass mark. Candidates are ranked.
Score floors and ranking
HRD Korea sets a minimum score by industry:
| Industry | Minimum score (out of 100) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 60 |
| All other industries (agriculture and livestock, services, forestry and others) | 45 |
| Fishery special track | 30 (pass/fail) |
Clearing the floor does not mean you pass. It means you are eligible to be ranked. After that, the highest scorers are selected in score order up to the planned number. This is why the real cut-off line changes from round to round. It depends on how many people sat the exam, how well they scored and how many places the industry has.
Because EPS-TOPIK is a ranking exam, it issues no level or grade. There is no such thing as “EPS-TOPIK Level 3”. Levels belong to the separate TOPIK exam.
Colour vision
Colour-vision testing is part of Round 1. Applicants with colour blindness or colour weakness are ineligible. Nepal’s notice lists this as an eligibility condition, so check your colour vision before you pay the fee. Conditions such as a herniated disc or finger amputation do not bar you from applying, but they can be assessed closely in Round 2.
Preparing for Round 1
The exam covers practical workplace and daily-life Korean: signs, notices, instructions, short conversations, numbers and directions. Practice in the real test format matters as much as vocabulary. Toddle’s new 2026-27 EPS-TOPIK model question book is one option for timed practice sets.
Round 2: The Skills Test
This is the stage many candidates under-prepare for, because it feels unfamiliar. HRD Korea describes the Skills Test as targeting those who have passed the language test. It has three scored parts.
| Component | Points | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| Physical fitness | 30 | Grip strength, back strength and a burpee test for endurance |
| Korean-language interview | 50 | Self-introduction and attitude, basic conversation and instructions, using work tools and following instructions, basic vocational competency, and safety awareness |
| Basic skills task | 20 | A practical task chosen from a sector-specific list |
| Total | 100 |
HRD Korea sets a minimum of 60 points out of 100 on the general track. Treat 60 as the floor. Final ranking still depends on how you compare with other candidates.
A note on conflicting figures
Older documents divide the Skills Test differently. For example, the standard notice published in August 2025 shows the interview and basic-skills parts weighted 30 and 40, with fitness at 30. HRD Korea’s own Skills Test page now lists 30, 50 and 20, and it carries a March 2026 notice about changes to the Skills Test. This is why guides written a year ago disagree with newer ones. Before your sitting, check the notice for your country and round on HRD Korea’s EPS-TOPIK website and EPS Nepal’s notices.
The Korean interview is the biggest single piece
At 50 of 100 points, the interview carries more weight than fitness or the practical task. It is also the part where your Korean directly helps. You are not expected to speak fluently. You are expected to introduce yourself clearly, respond to simple instructions, name tools, and show you understand basic safety. Candidates who can stay calm, listen carefully and answer simply usually do better than those who memorise long speeches. If your spoken Korean is still at the very beginning, a structured basic Korean language class will help you build this speaking base.
The practical task
The basic skills task is drawn at random from a sector-specific list. In the standard notice, the manufacturing list included joint connection, measuring and cutting, pipe bolting, using a grinder, product packaging and pallet loading, plus a common task of inserting pins. The agriculture and livestock list included using a grass eliminator, crop sowing, fence installation, product packaging, measuring and blending, and using a wheelbarrow. Tasks may change between rounds, so treat these as examples of the type of work, not a fixed syllabus.
Bonus Points: The Job Capacity Assessment
Alongside the Skills Test, you can submit documents for a Job Capacity Assessment. It is optional, and it adds up to 5 points.
| Bonus item | Standard | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Work experience | 1 year or more in the relevant sector | 2 |
| National certification | At least one Korean national certificate in the sector (certificates obtained overseas are not recognised) | 1 |
| Training | 120 hours or more of relevant training | 1 |
| Education | A junior-college qualification or higher in a field related to the sector | 1 |
| Maximum | 5 |
Five points sounds small. In a tightly ranked group, it can decide who gets in and who misses out.
What counts, and what does not
The rule is relevance. Experience, training and qualifications must relate to the actual job tasks of the industry you chose. HRD Korea’s standard notice specifically excludes simple sales work, back-office roles such as accounting and personnel, most public-office jobs and service-industry jobs such as cooking, restaurants and hairdressing. Courses for care workers, accounting staff or managers, and unrelated majors such as medicine, nursing or accounting, are not recognised. Driver’s licences, language certificates and professional licences are also not recognised.
Documents and honesty
Work experience is normally proved with a Certificate of Work Experiences issued by the employer. If the employer has shut down or cannot issue it, the standard notice allows a confirmation form signed by two sureties who are not relatives. Training and academic points need original certificates, with copies submitted and originals brought on test day. Nepal publishes its own forms, such as the job competency assessment application form and the employment certificate form, so use the versions in EPS Nepal’s notice for your round.
Do not be tempted to bend the truth. If submitted documents are proven false, the test result is nullified and the applicant is barred from applying to the EPS for four years. There may also be legal action. The sending agency and HRD Korea reconfirm the information, so the risk is real.
A Worked Example: How the Points Add Up
The numbers below are invented for illustration. They show how the combined score works, not what any real cut-off was.
Under the general-track framework, the maximum is 100 (EPS-TOPIK) plus 100 (Skills Test) plus up to 5 bonus points.
| Candidate | EPS-TOPIK | Skills Test | Bonus | Combined | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 82 | 62 | 0 | 144 | Competitive |
| B | 74 | 78 | 3 | 155 | Ahead of A despite a lower language score |
| C | 90 | 55 | 0 | not ranked | Screened out: Skills Test score below 60 |
Three lessons follow from this:
- A strong language score does not protect you from a weak Skills Test.
- A moderate language score can be rescued by solid fitness, interview performance and a clean practical task.
- Bonus points matter most when candidates are close.
Also remember that final selection happens industry by industry. You are compared with people in your own industry, up to that industry’s quota.
Cut-Offs, Quotas and Validity
Quotas
Each industry has a planned number of successful candidates. The standard process screens Round 1 down to about 1.1 times the quota, including ties, and then fills the quota using combined scores. If the final number falls short, the screening may be repeated. In Nepal, the 2026 notice says the number passing Round 1 is set by the cut-off line and results from HRD Korea’s EPS Center. It also says the number of successful candidates may increase or decrease with Korean demand.
There is no single published pass score that you can aim at, because the cut-off depends on the competition and the quota. That is why the safest approach is to maximise every part of your score.
How long success lasts
A successful candidate’s status is valid for two years from the date results are announced. Korea’s EPS notices describe this clearly, and Nepali news coverage in early 2026 repeated that candidates who are not selected within this period must retake the test. Selection from the roster has historically involved far more candidates than places, so two years can pass without a call.
Watch the official channels for updates on rounds, results and stages. EPS Nepal’s notices and the Toddle notice board are useful places to keep an eye on announcements, though you should always confirm against the government source.
After Final Selection: From Roster to Workplace
Passing the point system puts you on the roster. It does not send you to Korea. Here is the path that follows.
- Health screening and roster registration. Candidates who pass the health check apply for registration within the designated window. The sending country’s agency compiles the roster and sends it to HRD Korea, which verifies and certifies it. Candidates who pass the language exam but fail the medical examination or receive an adverse police report cannot complete the employment application form.
- Employer request. A Korean employer must first try to recruit a Korean worker, for at least seven days (shortened to three in specific cases). Only then can the employer apply for an employment permit.
- Shortlist. The local Employment Center must recommend at least three times the number of workers the employer needs, drawn from roster candidates who meet the employer’s stated conditions. The employer chooses from that list. You do not interview with the employer, and you cannot apply to companies yourself.
- Contract. The sending agency contacts the chosen candidate to confirm acceptance of the standard labour contract. The contract must be concluded within three months of the employment permit being issued. A probation period of up to three months is allowed, during which the hourly wage can be set up to 10 percent below the minimum wage.
- Training and travel. Pre-departure training takes place in your home country. After arrival in Korea, you must complete mandatory training of at least 16 hours within 15 days, paid for by the employer. You also register for an Alien Registration Card within 90 days of entering Korea.
A candidate’s maximum stay on the E-9 visa is four years and ten months.
Don’t confuse the two “points systems”
Korean government sites use the phrase “points system” for two unrelated things. The one in this guide scores workers. A separate employer-side points system on eps.go.kr ranks employers and workplaces for priority in receiving hiring permits. If you see "점수제" on eps.go.kr and think it describes your score, you are looking at the employer mechanism.
Nepal’s 2026 Round at a Glance
Nepal’s first-phase 2026 notice, published by the EPS Korea Branch in Gwarko, Lalitpur, set out these terms:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Estimated successful candidates | 7,200 in total |
| Manufacturing | 5,000 |
| Agriculture and livestock | 2,000 |
| Service I | 100 |
| Forestry | 100 |
| Application window | 27 July to 2 August 2026 |
| Application portal | eoers.epsnepal.gov.np |
| Exam fee | USD 28, paid in Nepali rupees at the Nepal Rastra Bank rate on the day of registration |
| Age | 18 to 39 (born between 28 July 1986 and 27 July 2008) |
| Exam format | 40 questions, 100 marks, 50 minutes, computer-based |
| Result validity | Two years |
Eligible applicants must also be Nepali citizens, must not have a criminal sentence, must not have been deported from Korea for illegal stay or banned from travel by the Government of Nepal, must not have stayed in Korea five years or more on an E-9 or E-10 visa, and must not have colour blindness or colour weakness.
Choosing a sub-sector
Applicants select one sub-sector when they apply. Manufacturing offers a long list, including food products, textiles, rubber and plastic products, fabricated metal products, electronic components and electrical equipment. Agriculture and livestock offers growing of crops, services incidental to growing crops and raising animals, and animal production. Service I includes items such as courier activities, refrigerated warehousing, air and land cargo handling, and waste collection and treatment. Forestry includes logging, afforestation, forest tree nurseries and support services to forestry. Read the full list in the official notice before you apply.
Details that cost people their seat
- Your name, date of birth, gender and photo must match your passport. They cannot be corrected after registration, and a mismatch means you are not allowed to sit the exam.
- Bring the original passport that matches the copy you uploaded, plus your application slip.
- Phones, smartwatches, earphones and similar devices are not allowed in the building.
- Taking the test for someone else, cheating or helping others cheat leads to a four-year ban.
- The notice states that no private organisation, institute or individual is part of the EPS employment process except the Department of Foreign Employment’s EPS Korea Section.
For a practical look at the day itself, read Toddle’s EPS-TOPIK exam day checklist. Register only on the official portal at eoers.epsnepal.gov.np, and check results through eps.go.kr and HRD Korea’s EPS-TOPIK site.
How to Maximise Your Combined Score
The system rewards balanced preparation. Think in four tracks.
Track 1: Your language score
Since the exam is a ranking test, every mark can matter. Build vocabulary around workplaces, tools, safety, numbers, dates and directions. Practise listening in the same pace and length as the real test, and take full timed papers rather than only studying topics. For a calendar of mock practice, you can book a mock test seat at Toddle for EPS-TOPIK UBT practice.
Track 2: Physical readiness for the Skills Test
You will be tested on grip strength, back strength and a burpee test. These are things you can improve over months through steady exercise, good sleep and regular meals. Do not wait until you are called for Round 2. If you have a back or hand condition, get advice early, because Round 2 judges can exclude candidates who cannot perform the job tasks.
Track 3: Interview and practical skills
Practise introducing yourself, answering simple questions about your reasons for working in Korea, naming common tools and following short instructions. Learn basic safety words and phrases, because the interview includes safety awareness. For the practical task, build familiarity with the type of tasks listed for your sector: simple measuring, bolting, packaging, handling a wheelbarrow or using a hand tool carefully and safely.
Track 4: Documents and bonus points
If you have a year or more of relevant work, ask the employer for a properly completed work certificate with names, signatures and contact details. Check training certificates for hours and field. If you are considering a vocational course, make sure it is relevant to the sector you will choose. Recognised overseas certificates do not earn the national certification point, so do not count on that item unless you hold a Korean national certificate.
Choosing your sector with your eyes open
The sector decision is permanent after Round 1, so it deserves real thought. Compare quota size, the minimum score floor (60 for manufacturing, 45 for other industries), your physical comfort with the work and the documents you can prove. A bigger quota does not automatically mean easier selection, because more applicants may compete for it. Toddle’s guide on which EPS sector you should choose walks through the trade-offs.
Common Mistakes and Scams to Avoid
Treating a pass as a job. Final success qualifies you for the roster. Employers choose from shortlists, and many candidates wait a long time.
Using outdated scoring. The “80 out of 200” rule belongs to the earlier format. The current exam is out of 100, ranked by industry floors and quota.
Ignoring colour vision. Colour blindness and colour weakness make you ineligible. Test before you apply.
Passport mismatches. Even a spelling difference can stop you from sitting the exam or entering the roster.
Buying certificates or letters. A forged work certificate can cost you four years. It is not worth a few bonus points.
Paying someone to “fix” your result. The EPS is government-to-government. Nepal’s notice says nobody outside the EPS Korea Section takes part in employment selection. Anyone promising a place, a better list position or a guaranteed employer is selling something that does not exist.
Forgetting the clock. Your status lasts two years. Stay informed about each stage of your round, and keep your documents current.
Where EPS-TOPIK Stops: Long-Term Planning
If you are thinking beyond your first E-9 term, remember that EPS-TOPIK is only used for ranking E-9 job seekers. It does not count for F-2-7 residence visa points, and it does not exempt you from stages of Korea’s integration programme. For those goals you would need the regular TOPIK, which is a different exam run by a different ministry. If long-term residence interests you, look at the TOPIK preparation pages on the Toddle website early.
Ready to Prepare? Talk to Toddle
The point-based system rewards preparation across several areas. You need a strong Korean base, reliable practice in the real exam format, safe and sensible preparation for the Skills Test, and clean documents. Toddle, a Korean and Japanese language institute and study-abroad counselling centre in Hetauda, supports learners with Korean classes and practice resources.
- Join the EPS-TOPIK Korean language class for structured reading and listening practice.
- Get the EPS course book for study material.
- Book a free counselling session to plan your route and timeline.
Chat with us on WhatsApp: +977 976-9741767
You can also visit the office at School Road, Hetauda. Bring your questions about the next EPS round, your study plan or your documents.
Frequently Asked Questions about EPS Point Based Selection System
1. What is the EPS point-based selection system?
It is the method Korea uses to select foreign workers under the Employment Permit System. It combines a Korean-language exam, a Skills Test and optional bonus points. Final successful candidates are chosen by combined score within each industry’s quota. Passing places you on the roster, not directly in a job.
2. How many points are there in total?
On the general track, the framework gives 100 points for EPS-TOPIK, 100 for the Skills Test and up to 5 bonus points. That makes 205 as a theoretical maximum. Details can be updated by notice, so check the current round.
3. What is the minimum EPS-TOPIK score?
HRD Korea sets a floor of 60 out of 100 for manufacturing and 45 out of 100 for other industries. The fishery special track has a pass/fail floor of 30. Clearing the floor only makes you eligible to be ranked.
4. Is the old “80 out of 200” pass mark still used?
No. That figure belongs to the earlier 200-point format. The current EPS-TOPIK has 40 questions and a total of 100 points, with selection by ranking and industry floors.
5. Is the Skills Test compulsory in Nepal?
Nepal’s 2026 first-phase notice says candidates who pass the language exam must also take and pass the Skills Test and Job Capacity Assessment stage before they are eligible for final selection. Nepal introduced skills testing from 2020.
6. How is the Skills Test scored?
HRD Korea lists 30 points for physical fitness, 50 for the Korean-language interview and 20 for the basic skills task, 100 in total. The general-track minimum is 60. Earlier notices used different weights, so check the current notice for your round.
7. What happens in the physical fitness test?
It measures grip strength and back strength, and includes a burpee test for cardiovascular endurance. Preparing your fitness before Round 2 is sensible, since some physical conditions can lead to exclusion from final consideration.
8. What is asked in the Korean interview?
HRD Korea lists five areas: self-introduction and attitude, basic conversation and instructions, using work tools and following instructions, basic vocational competency, and safety awareness. Simple, clear answers matter more than long speeches.
9. How do bonus points work?
The Job Capacity Assessment adds up to 5 points: 2 for a year or more of relevant work, and 1 each for a Korean national certificate, 120 hours or more of relevant training, and a related junior-college-level education. They are optional but can separate close candidates.
10. Do certificates from Nepal earn the national certification point?
HRD Korea says certificates obtained overseas are not recognised for that point. Work experience, training and education are judged separately, so check what each item requires before you spend money on a course or document.
11. Does work experience in Nepal count?
Relevant experience in the industry you chose can count if it lasts a year or more and is properly documented. Simple sales, office administration, most public-office roles and service jobs such as cooking or hairdressing are not recognised.
12. Can I apply for more than one sector?
No. Each applicant may submit only one application, selecting one industry and one sub-sector. You cannot change the industry after passing Round 1.
13. Does colour blindness disqualify me?
Yes. Colour blindness and colour weakness make an applicant ineligible. Check before you apply, because the exam fee is paid at registration.
14. How long is my success status valid?
Two years from the date results are announced. If an employer does not select you within that period, you need to sit the exam again.
15. Does passing the point system guarantee a job in Korea?
No. It qualifies you for the roster, and Korean employers select from shortlists provided by the Employment Center. Employment depends on demand, shortlists and the later medical and police checks.
16. How does an employer select me?
The Employment Center recommends at least three times the number of workers an employer needs, drawn from roster candidates who meet the stated conditions. The employer chooses from that list and the permit is then issued. You do not apply to employers directly.
17. Can an agent or consultancy get me selected faster?
No. Nepal’s notice states that nobody outside the Department of Foreign Employment’s EPS Korea Section is involved in the EPS employment process. Beware of anyone offering placements or payments to improve your position.
18. What happens if I submit false documents?
The test result is nullified and you can be barred from applying to the EPS for four years. Legal action is also possible. Cheating or impersonation on exam day leads to a four-year ban from the language exam.
19. What is the age limit for Nepal’s 2026 round?
Applicants must be at least 18 and not older than 39. For the first-phase 2026 round, candidates must have been born between 28 July 1986 and 27 July 2008.
20. How much is the exam fee?
USD 28 in the 2026 first-phase notice, paid in Nepali rupees at the Nepal Rastra Bank exchange rate on the day you register on the official portal.
21. How many Nepali workers will be selected in the 2026 round?
The first-phase notice estimates 7,200 successful candidates: 5,000 in manufacturing, 2,000 in agriculture and livestock, 100 in Service I and 100 in forestry. The number may rise or fall with Korean demand.
22. Does EPS-TOPIK count toward F-2-7 visa points?
No. The F-2-7 Korean-language category accepts regular TOPIK and integration programme completion, not EPS-TOPIK. If long-term residence is your goal, you would need to sit the regular TOPIK separately.
23. How long can I work in Korea on the E-9 visa?
The initial stay is three years, extendable by one year and ten months, for a maximum of four years and ten months in one stay. Rules on re-entry can change, so confirm with HRD Korea or the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
24. Where can I check results and official notices?
Results are published through eps.go.kr and HRD Korea’s EPS-TOPIK website. Application and Nepal-specific notices appear through the EPS Korea Section and its portal. Use only official channels for dates, fees and results.
Rules, quotas, score weights and timelines can be adjusted by each round’s notice. Before you apply or pay any fee, confirm the current details with the Department of Foreign Employment’s EPS Korea Section, HRD Korea and eps.go.kr.
