South Korea to Open Visa Center in Nepal to Support Nepali Workers

KATHMANDU, Nov 4

The Government of South Korea is set to open a visa center in Nepal to streamline services for Nepali citizens seeking employment opportunities in South Korea.

During a meeting with Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal, Park Tae-young, announced that the new visa center would be launched soon. The initiative aims to make the application and documentation process smoother for Nepali migrant workers heading to South Korea’s manufacturing and agriculture sectors.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, Ambassador Park also urged the Nepali government to promote entrepreneurship among Korea-returned workers, encouraging them to use their skills and experience for business ventures within Nepal. He further expressed South Korea’s commitment to facilitating Korean investments in Nepal, particularly in promoting local products.

South Korea remains one of the most popular destinations for Nepali migrant workers due to its high wages, well-regulated labor market, and worker-friendly environment.

The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2007 under the Employment Permit System (EPS), with recruitment officially beginning in 2008. For 2025, South Korea has allocated 5,300 employment slots in the manufacturing and agriculture-livestock sectors for Nepali workers.

In the fiscal year 2024/25, 14,224 Nepalis received labor permits to work in South Korea. Government data shows that over 110,000 Nepalis have gone to South Korea for employment since the start of the EPS program, with around 50,000 currently working there.