South Korea tightens quotas for accepting foreign workers.
The significantly reduced quota compared to the previous year has led to a noticeable drop in the number of applicants for the Korean language proficiency test under the EPS program. Competition is higher, but opportunities for overseas employment are opening up for truly determined workers.
Only 4,200 workers will be selected.
Based on an agreement with the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor, on March 10, 2026, the Minister of Home Affairs issued Decision No. 224/QD-BNV on organizing the Korean language test and skills test for workers registering to work in Korea under the EPS Program.
To implement this decision, on March 11, 2026, the Center for Overseas Labor issued Notice No. 170/TTLĐNN-TCLĐ to the Departments of Internal Affairs of provinces and cities regarding the coordination of labor recruitment in 2026 under the EPS Program.
Accordingly, the sectors recruiting workers include: manufacturing, fisheries, forestry, and services. The recruitment target is 4,200 people (of which manufacturing is 3,000; fisheries is 1,000; forestry is 150; and services is 50)... Compared to 2025 (16,000 people), the target has decreased significantly.
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The Human Resources Development Agency of Korea (HRD Korea) is responsible for setting the exam questions, organizing the exam, grading the exam, and conducting the skills test. The exam consists of two rounds: Round 1 is a computer-based Korean language test and a color perception test; Round 2 is a skills test (mandatory) and a competency assessment (optional).
The application period is from March 23rd to March 27th, 2026. The first round of exams for the fisheries, forestry, and service sectors will be held from April 24th to May 15th, 2026; the second round from June 15th to June 19th, 2026. The first round of exams for the manufacturing sector will be held from June 22nd to August 21st, 2026; the second round from October 12th to October 16th, 2026.
Eligibility requirements: Ages 18–39 (born between March 24, 1986 and March 23, 2008); no criminal record; never deported from South Korea; stay under E9/E10 visa for less than 5 years; not prohibited from leaving the country; no relatives residing illegally in South Korea; good health, free from diseases such as syphilis, tuberculosis, color blindness, and color vision disorders. Individuals with amputated fingers or spinal deformities are eligible to apply, but selection will depend on skills.
In the case of workers who have worked in South Korea under the EPS Program, they must return to their home country upon the expiration of their contract. If they previously resided illegally in South Korea, they must have voluntarily returned to their home country during the period when the South Korean government implemented a policy of waiving penalties for illegally residing foreigners who voluntarily surrendered. In this case, the worker must present supporting documents.
Mr. Dang Huy Hong, Director of the Center for Overseas Labor, stated: In addition to meeting the general requirements, workers wishing to apply for positions in the fisheries, forestry, and service sectors must meet additional conditions.
For the fisheries sector, workers need to meet at least one of the following conditions: Residing in coastal communes, wards, or special economic zones; having experience in fishing or aquaculture at sea; being healthy and able to withstand rough seas to work in the fisheries industry; having received training and certification in fisheries-related professions; or having previously worked in South Korea under the EPS program in the fisheries sector and returned to Vietnam on time after the contract expired.
For the forestry and service sectors, workers residing in villages and communes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, particularly disadvantaged villages, and communes in zones I, II, and III during the period 2026-2030 (according to Decision No. 60/QD-BDTTG dated January 29, 2026, of the Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Religions).
Candidates only pay a fee equivalent to $28 USD when registering for the Korean language test. Those who pass Round 1 are automatically eligible to register for Round 2.
Candidates are not allowed to bring electronic devices into the examination room; violations will be considered cheating and will result in a four-year ban from the program.
Passing the exam does not guarantee employment in South Korea; it only qualifies you to submit your application. Those who fail the health requirements or have a history of illegal residency will not be allowed to leave the country. Upon entry, if they test positive for drugs, they will be deported.
High competition rate
Immediately after receiving the decision from the Ministry of Interior, the notification and official letter from the Center for Overseas Labor, the Nghe An Department of Interior publicly announced the "Notice on the plan to organize the Korean language exam for manufacturing, fisheries, forestry, and service industries in 2026" on local mass media and posted it at the registration location so that workers could be aware.
To ensure the effective implementation of the task of receiving applications for the Korean language proficiency test and skills assessment for workers in Nghe An, the Nghe An Department of Internal Affairs has also issued Document No. 1669/SNV-LĐVL regarding the coordination of the selection of workers under the EPS Program in 2026 to departments, agencies, units, and localities in the province.
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The Department of Internal Affairs requests the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Nghe An Newspaper, Radio and Television to coordinate the dissemination of information and propaganda through mass media (starting from March 17, 2026) regarding the examination so that the people and workers throughout the province are aware of it and can register to participate if they have the need and meet the eligibility requirements.
The Provincial Police Department directed the Truong Vinh Ward Police to deploy forces to ensure security and order during the period of receiving applications from workers at the registration point in the area; at the same time, it directed police agencies at all levels to prevent and strictly handle acts and actions that violate regulations in the registration process for the exam.
The People's Committees of communes and wards shall disseminate information, publicize, and post the full text of the announcement at their headquarters; simultaneously, they shall broadcast and read the announcement on the public address system so that a large number of people and workers can fully understand the program and know the registration schedule and participation conditions; ensuring transparency and openness, preventing negative phenomena and fraud, and promptly detecting and handling cases of violations... directing the Department of Culture and Social Affairs to coordinate with the Nghe An Employment Service Center to advise and answer workers' questions related to the program.
According to information from the Nghe An Employment Service Center, as of noon on March 26, 2026 (after 4 days of receiving applications), more than 1,000 people in the province had registered to participate in the exam. Compared to the previous year, the number of registrants has decreased sharply (In 2025, Nghe An had nearly 7,000 registrants). This trend is also occurring nationwide.
According to Mr. Tran Huu Thuong, Deputy Director of the Nghe An Employment Service Center, the reason is that the reduced number of job openings has led to increased competition, making workers more cautious. At the same time, many businesses investing in the locality have created more jobs, leading workers to choose to stay.
However, the low number of applicants opens up greater opportunities for candidates determined to participate this time. Those who are selected are expected to depart sooner. In addition to the traditional manufacturing sector, this year, for the first time, forestry is included, giving workers more choices.
