OEC Job Application Fee: Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 per Job, What You Pay After Selection and OEC's 10 Stage Timeline
We checked all 252 OEC job listings: the application fee is Rs 500 or Rs 1,000, paid by PSID. See the costs after selection and OEC's 10 stage timeline.
The OEC job application fee is Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 a job, and the exact amount is set on each job listing on jobs.oec.gov.pk. We checked all 252 job listings on the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) portal on 12 November 2026. Of the 153 posted in 2026, 102 charge Rs 1,000, 44 charge Rs 500 and 7 show no fee. You pay it through a PSID before you submit.
That fee is only the first cost. OEC's own pages list medical, visa, protector and insurance costs after selection, and they give a timeline of roughly 4 to 8 weeks from advert to flight. Below is each stage, what OEC says it costs and how long it takes, and the places where OEC's own figures do not match.
OEC application fees are Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 per job
Each listing on the OEC jobs portal carries its own application fee in rupees. The two open adverts this week, Saudi Arabia technician posts closing 14 November and Belarus building trades closing 15 November, both charge Rs 1,000.
| Year posted | Rs 1,000 fee | Rs 500 fee | No fee shown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 102 jobs | 44 jobs | 7 jobs |
| 2025 | 68 jobs | 27 jobs | 3 jobs |
One older listing from 2022 also shows no fee. The fee is per job, so applying for two posts in one advert can mean two fees. OEC's fee page calls the application fee "one-time, non-refundable", so pay only for jobs you meet the age, trade and experience rules for.
Pay the OEC fee with a PSID, never in cash
OEC's adverts tell applicants to pay through a PSID before submitting. A PSID is a payment slip ID generated for a government fee, which you pay at a bank or through banking apps that support government payments.
- Open the job on jobs.oec.gov.pk and check the fee shown on it.
- Sign in and fill the application form for that job.
- Generate the PSID when the portal asks for it.
- Pay it before the closing date, and keep the paid slip.
- Submit the application once the payment shows.
OEC's fee page says payments go through official challans at Bank of Punjab or National Bank of Pakistan, with no cash and no agents. If someone asks you for more, report it to complaints@oec.gov.pk or 051-9253254. Our guide to applying for OEC overseas jobs covers the portal sign-up.
What OEC says you pay after selection
The application fee is small next to the costs after you are picked. OEC's fee page gives these ranges.
| Cost | OEC fee page figure | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Application registration | Rs 500 | OEC, one time, non-refundable |
| Medical examination | Rs 5,000 to 8,000 | Approved GAMCA or panel lab |
| Visa processing support | Rs 8,000 to 15,000 | Country specific |
| Protector fee | Rs 6,000 to 7,500 | As per BEOE guidelines |
| Insurance, 2 years | About Rs 2,500 | Bank, with protector |
| Orientation session | Free | Provided by OEC |
The air ticket is quoted after the visa if the employer does not pay it. Your medical result can be checked as in our GCC medical report guide, and the protector stage is explained in Protector of Emigrants in Pakistan.
OEC's own fee figures do not match
The same OEC website shows a different fee box in its menu: registration Rs 2,000, processing Rs 5,000 and protector Rs 15,000, for Rs 22,000 in total. That does not agree with the fee page above or with the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 fees on actual job listings. The fee page itself is headed with a 2025 EPS breakdown. Treat the figure on your own job listing and challan as the real one, and ask OEC on 0311-0011-632 before paying anything else.
OEC takes about 4 to 8 weeks from advert to flight
OEC's service timelines page gives a duration for each stage. Adding the ranges gives roughly 29 to 55 days, counting working days as days, if nothing is delayed on the employer's side.
| Stage | OEC estimate |
|---|---|
| Advert posted after a foreign demand is verified | 24 to 48 hours |
| Online registration window | 5 to 10 days |
| Shortlisting | 5 to 7 working days |
| Interview coordination | 3 to 5 working days |
| Result notification | 2 to 3 days after interview |
| Medical test coordination | 3 to 5 working days |
| Visa document submission | 3 to 7 working days |
| Protector process | 3 to 5 working days |
| Travel and ticketing | 3 to 10 working days |
| Pre-departure orientation | 1 day |
OEC adds that timelines can vary with country rules or employer delays, and that EPS Korea runs on a separate schedule set by HRD Korea. In practice, many adverts close later than 10 days. The Belarus demand, for example, was first posted on 3 September and closes on 15 November.
Pre-departure orientation is a one day, free session
OEC's pre-departure page says the orientation is mandatory for every worker selected through OEC, including for Saudi Arabia, Korea, Qatar, the UAE and Italy. Attendance is checked before protector processing, and you must attend in person to receive final travel documents.
The page lists orientation days by city: Islamabad on Monday and Thursday, Lahore on Tuesday, Karachi on Wednesday and Peshawar on Thursday. Bring your CNIC, passport and job offer copy. A certificate is given at the end. Gulf-bound workers may also need the PakSoftSkills certificate before protector.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the OEC application fee?
Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 a job, as shown on each listing. In 2026, 102 listings charge Rs 1,000 and 44 charge Rs 500.
How do I pay the OEC fee?
Generate a PSID on jobs.oec.gov.pk and pay it at a bank or by a banking app before you submit. OEC takes no cash.
Is the OEC application fee refundable?
No. OEC's fee page calls the application registration fee one time and non-refundable.
How long does OEC take from advert to departure?
OEC's stage estimates add up to about 29 to 55 days, or 4 to 8 weeks, if the employer causes no delay.
Is the OEC pre-departure orientation free?
Yes. OEC lists it as free, one day and mandatory, with a certificate at the end.
What if someone asks for more than the OEC fee?
Do not pay. Report it to complaints@oec.gov.pk or 051-9253254.
Sources and last checked
We downloaded the full job list from the OEC jobs portal and read OEC's fee structure, service timelines and pre-departure pages on oec.gov.pk on 12 November 2026. We counted the fees ourselves. We did not apply for a job or generate a PSID.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
