E7 Visa: South Korea Work Visa Process and Requirements

2024-04-24BY Immikorea

E7 Visa: South Korea's Work Visa Policy

The E7 visa is the most common work visa in South Korea.

Like most countries, the South Korean government prioritizes hiring highly qualified professionals from abroad to develop its economy.

In order to ensure that Korean jobs are not infringed upon by the indiscriminate hiring of foreigners, and to prevent the exploitation of low-wage labor and illegal immigration of foreign workers, we strictly screen foreigners based on their education and experience and the qualifications of the hiring company.

South Korea’s work visas are mainly centered around the E7 visa, which is categorized as a specialty occupation, and allows individual companies to hire foreigners or invite them from abroad.

Non-professional workers are classified as E9 visas, and the Korean government’s Ministry of Labor accepts workers under agreements with foreign governments. Therefore, manpower recruitment companies or general companies cannot contact foreigners individually to recruit them to work in simple labor jobs.

E7 Visa Types

E7 visas are divided into four groups based on occupation, education and work experience

Visa	分类	Occupation
E7-1	專業人員	Managers / Professionals (67 occupations)
E7-2	Paraprofessionals	Clerical / service workers (9 occupations)
E7-3	General Skilled Labor	Skilled / Related Skilled Workers (8 occupations)
E7-4	Skilled trades workers	E9 Visa Occupations (3 occupations)

The E7-4 visa is a non-professional work visa and is applied for after working in Korea for at least 4 years and considering work experience and language skills.

E7 Visa Basic Eligibility Requirements

In order to obtain an E7 visa, the foreign national must have an education, a relevant major, and relevant work experience that is relevant to the company you are seeking employment with. The company hiring you must also meet basic qualifications. If these two requirements are met, the visa may be granted.

E7비자 기본 자격 요건

E7 visa occupational codes and eligibility requirements by occupation

The E7 visa is categorized into 87 occupations. Each occupation has different qualifications and documentation requirements. The most common reason for visa denial is that the foreign applicant’s expertise is not relevant to the position being filled. Even if you meet the basic qualifications, you must also meet the requirements for each occupation.

E7비자 직종 코드별 요건과 발급사례

E7 Visa Application Process

When applying for an E7 visa, the first priority is to create a labor contract between the foreigner and the Korean company. You cannot apply for an E7 visa without a labor contract.

Foreign nationals are staying abroad

– Send your diploma/resume to Korea after apostille or notarization at the Korean consulate
– Apply for a visa at the Korean immigration office with company documents / employment letter
– Emailing the approved visa application to the foreign national after the visa is granted
– Foreign nationals submit an approved visa application to a Korean consulate abroad and receive a visa
– Apply for an Alien Registration Card at an immigration office after entering Korea

If a foreign national is in Korea

– Apply for a change of status at a Korean immigration office with a diploma / work history / company documents / employment letter
– If approved, receive your Alien Registration Card

How long does it take to get a visa?

– Visa processing time is approximately 1 month from receipt of documents
– Diplomas / work experience certificates Apostille or notarized documents require time to prepare
– For smaller businesses, this can take additional time once company due diligence is determined.

E7 Visa Family Invitation

E7 visa holders can invite their spouse and minor children to join them on an F3 visa for stable employment. The period of stay is the same as the E7 visa holder.

When you apply for an E7 visa, you can also apply for your family member’s F3 visa at the same time and invite them to join you at a later date.

F3 visas do not allow you to work. You may be able to work in some limited occupations, such as teaching English, subject to certain conditions. F3 visa holders can change to an E7 visa if they are eligible.