What Is the E-7 Visa?
The E-7 Visa (Specially Designated Activities) is South Korea's main skilled worker visa for foreign nationals employed in specific, government-approved occupations. Unlike the E-2 (which is only for English teachers) or the E-1 (professors), the E-7 covers a wide range of skilled professional roles across 67 occupation categories.
If you're a skilled professional wanting to work in Korea — as an engineer, IT developer, researcher, chef, designer, or dozens of other roles — the E-7 is almost certainly the visa you need.
Who Can Apply for an E-7 Visa?
To qualify for an E-7 visa, you must meet all three of the following:
- Occupation match: Your job title and duties must match one of the 67 approved E-7 occupation codes (e.g., E-7-1 for general skilled activities, E-7-3 for researchers, E-7-91 for skilled manufacturing workers)
- Employer sponsorship: A Korean employer must sponsor your visa and submit a hiring report to the Ministry of Justice
- Qualification: You must meet the education and/or experience requirements for your occupation code — typically a bachelor's degree in a related field, or 5 years of relevant experience
E-7 Salary Requirements 2025
Korea's Immigration Act requires E-7 holders to earn at least the minimum wage for their occupation category. These are updated annually. As of 2025:
| Category | Minimum Annual Salary (KRW) | Approx. USD |
|---|---|---|
| General (E-7-1) | ₩28,680,000 | ~$21,500 |
| IT / Tech professionals | ₩37,200,000 | ~$27,900 |
| Research & development | ₩42,000,000 | ~$31,500 |
| Senior engineers / specialists | ₩56,000,000+ | ~$42,000+ |
Important: The salary on your employment contract must equal or exceed these minimums. Employers cannot adjust base pay below these thresholds after visa issuance.
Required Documents
The standard E-7 document checklist (required from the employee):
- Valid passport (minimum 6 months remaining validity)
- Completed visa application form (available at hikorea.go.kr)
- 1 passport-size photo (3.5cm × 4.5cm, white background, taken within 6 months)
- Highest academic degree certificate + transcript (apostilled if obtained abroad)
- Proof of work experience (if substituting for degree): employment certificates from previous employers totaling 5+ years in the relevant field
- Certified translation of all foreign-language documents
Required from the Korean employer:
- Employment contract (sealed and signed)
- Business registration certificate (사업자등록증)
- Corporate tax payment certificate (납세증명서)
- Company financial statement for the most recent fiscal year
- Hiring justification letter explaining why a Korean national was not hired
- For companies with fewer than 5 E-7 holders: proof that E-7 employees don't exceed 20% of total Korean workforce
Application Process: Step by Step
- Your employer submits a Hiring Report to the Ministry of Justice (고용추천서). This is done online via the HiKorea portal. The employer needs your job title, occupation code, salary, and passport copy.
- Receive your Hiring Recommendation Number — this is issued by the relevant government body (MOIS, MOTIE, or MSIT depending on occupation). Processing takes 1–3 weeks.
- Apply for the E-7 visa — either at a Korean consulate abroad (if you're outside Korea) or via HiKorea's Change of Status application (if you're already in Korea on another visa)
- Attend your biometrics appointment at the consulate or immigration office
- Receive your visa — standard processing is 3–6 weeks. Expedited processing (1 week) is available at some consulates for an additional fee.
- Register your ARC — within 90 days of arriving in Korea on your E-7, register your Alien Registration Card (ARC) at your local immigration office
E-7 to F-5: The Path to Permanent Residency
The E-7 is often the beginning of a long-term Korea journey. The most common upgrade paths:
- F-2-7 Points Visa → available after 1+ year on E-7; requires 80+ points on the points assessment table
- F-5-1 (General PR) → 5 years of continuous legal residence in Korea (E-7 time counts toward this), meeting income and language requirements
- F-2-7 → F-5-16 → convert to the points-based F-2-7 residency (80+ points), then apply for F-5-16 after 3 years — often faster than the general route
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Changing employers without notifying immigration — you must report employer changes within 15 days to the immigration office, or your E-7 status is technically violated
- Salary drops below the minimum — if your salary drops below the minimum for your occupation code mid-contract, contact immigration immediately
- Overstaying during extension processing — submit your extension application at least 4 weeks before your current E-7 expires
Source: Korea Immigration Service (immigration.go.kr), Ministry of Justice, HiKorea portal | Last verified: March 2026
This article is for informational purposes only. Consult a verified immigration specialist for guidance specific to your occupation and situation.