More than 25,000 Filipino workers under South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS) are set to receive higher pay following the country’s increase in its mandatory minimum wage for 2026.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) – Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in South Korea reported that the minimum hourly wage for 2026 has been raised to KRW 10,320, up from KRW 10,030 in 2025. Based on a standard 40-hour workweek or an estimated 209 working hours per month, the new wage level translates to an average monthly income of KRW 2,156,880.
The adjustment applies across all industries, covering workers in sectors such as manufacturing and caregiving. Authorities said this is consistent with South Korea’s equal treatment policy, ensuring migrant workers under the EPS receive the same minimum wage protections.
The DMW-MWO noted that 25,606 Filipino EPS workers currently earning the minimum wage are expected to benefit from the new rate.
The revised wage officially took effect on January 1, 2026, after it was approved through a consensus resolution by the Korean Minimum Wage Commission during its 12th plenary meeting in July 2025 at the Sejong Government Complex.
South Korea reviews its minimum wage annually, taking into account economic and labor-related indicators including cost of living, prevailing wage levels, labor productivity, income distribution, and industry classification.
