What Is the E-7 Visa?
The E-7 visa (특정활동, Specific Activities) is South Korea's main skilled worker visa. It covers foreign nationals hired by a Korean employer into an occupation the Ministry of Justice has approved for E-7. Approval is not only about having a job offer: immigration reviews whether the duties fit an approved occupation code, whether your degree or career supports that code, whether the salary meets the current standard, and whether the employer can justify hiring a foreign specialist.
The Four E-7 Types
- E-7-1 (professional): 67 occupation codes, covering fields such as IT, engineering, research, finance, education and the arts.
- E-7-2 (semi-professional): 10 office and service occupations.
- E-7-3 (general skilled): 14 occupation codes, including the shipbuilding trades.
- E-7-4 (skilled workforce): a points-based route (K-Point E74) for long-term E-9, E-10 and H-2 workers. No university degree is required. The 2026 quota is 33,000.
Who Can Apply?
For E-7-1 and the other general codes, the issuance manual sets a qualification requirement, not a points test. You need one of:
- a master's degree or higher in a field related to the occupation, or
- a bachelor's degree plus at least 1 year of related work experience, or
- at least 5 years of related work experience.
Individual occupations can carry their own requirements. Your job title and duties must match the occupation code your employer applies under. A mismatch between the code and the actual duties is a common reason for refusal.
Salary Requirement for 2026
The Ministry of Justice announces the E-7 wage requirement each year. The current issuance manual gives these figures for 2026:
| E-7 type | 2026 wage requirement (per year) |
|---|---|
| E-7-1 (professional) | ₩31,120,000 or more |
| E-7-2 (semi-professional) | ₩25,890,000 or more |
| E-7-3 (general skilled) | ₩25,890,000 or more |
| E-7-4 (skilled workforce) | ₩26,000,000 or more |
Some occupations follow a separate standard set for that occupation. The shipbuilding trades in E-7-3, for example, carry a wage floor of 80% of the previous year's per-capita GNI. Where an 80%-of-GNI requirement applies, small and medium-sized companies, venture-certified companies and mid-sized companies outside the Seoul metropolitan area may apply 70% for at most 3 years. The salary written in your employment contract must meet the requirement, and payroll records are checked again at renewal.
Documents
The exact list depends on the occupation code. The usual package includes:
- Passport, application form and photo
- Signed employment contract stating job title, duties, salary and period
- Degree certificate, apostilled or consular-certified if issued abroad
- Career certificates for earlier relevant jobs, where experience is being counted
- The employer's business registration certificate and financial or tax documents
- The employer's written explanation of why a foreign national is needed
How to Apply
- Confirm the occupation code. Your employer picks the E-7 code that matches your actual duties.
- Check the wage requirement for that E-7 type.
- If you are outside Korea, the employer first applies to the immigration office for a Certificate of Visa Issuance (사증발급인정서). You then apply for the visa at a Korean embassy or consulate with that certificate.
- If you are already in Korea on another status, you apply for a change of status. The fee is ₩100,000.
- Register. A foreigner staying more than 90 days must register and receive a registration card. The card fee is ₩35,000.
E-7 status is granted for 1 to 3 years at a time, based on the employment contract, and there is no fixed limit on renewals. Each extension costs ₩60,000.
Family
Your spouse and unmarried minor children can apply for F-3 dependent status. F-3 does not include permission to work.
From E-7 to Long-Term Residency
- F-2-7 (points-based resident): open to professionals who score 80 points or more on the F-2-7 table.
- F-5-16 (permanent residency via F-2-7): after 3 years on F-2-7, with income of at least 2× the previous year's per-capita GNI or assets of at least 1.5× average household net assets.
- F-5-1 (general permanent residency): after 5 years of continuous stay on statuses from D-7 through E-7, or on F-2, with the same income or asset test and a Korean language and society requirement.
Full detail, including E-7-4 points and the occupation-specific wage standards, is on the E-7 visa page.
Sources: Ministry of Justice visa issuance manual and stay manual (September 2026 editions); Immigration Act Enforcement Rules, Article 72 (fees) | Last checked against these sources: October 2026
This article is for informational purposes only. Immigration rules change. Consult a qualified immigration specialist about your own case.