Korea's E-7 work visa covers 94 listed jobs, with 2026 pay floors

This guide is for foreigners who want a professional job in Korea and for Korean companies that want to hire them. The rule in one line: the E-7 visa (특정활동, "specific activities") covers only the occupations listed by the Minister of Justice, and both the worker and the employer must meet the rules for that occupation. Figures are for 2026 and follow the Ministry of Justice (법무부) visa and stay manuals of October 2026.

What the E-7 visa covers

E-7 is for a foreigner who will work under a contract with a public or private organization in Korea, in an activity the Minister of Justice designates (Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Annex 1-2, item 20). As of August 2026 the list has 94 occupations in four groups, and many have their own rules on education, employer size, quotas and pay.

E-7-4 is not issued from abroad. It is a change of status for people who have worked legally in Korea for at least 4 years within the last 10 years on the non-professional employment (E-9), seafarer (E-10) or work-visit (H-2) visa.

Education and experience

The general rule is one of these:

• a master's degree or higher in a field related to the occupation;
• a related bachelor's degree plus at least 1 year of experience in the field;
• at least 5 years of experience in a related field.

Experience counts only after the degree or licence was obtained, except internships in high-tech fields such as IT, bio and nano. When the need to hire is shown, the manual relaxes these rules:

• 1 year or more in a professional job at a Global 500 company: the education and experience rules can be waived.
• Bachelor's degree from a top university (Times top 200 or QS top 500): no experience needed.
• Korean junior college graduates (job related to the major) and Korean bachelor's graduates (any major): no experience needed. Distance and cyber universities do not count.
• Annual pay of at least 3 times the previous year's per-capita gross national income (GNI): education and experience are waived in any occupation, without a ministry recommendation.

Documents issued abroad need a Korean or English translation, and key documents need an apostille or consular confirmation.

Pay floors for 2026

Each year the Ministry of Justice announces a minimum annual pay for E-7. If the contract pays less, the visa is in principle refused. The 2026 floors apply from February 1 to December 31, 2026 (Ministry of Justice Notice No. 2025-406).

Some occupations follow their own rule, for example 80% of the previous year's per-capita GNI for shipbuilding welders. Under that 80% rule, small and medium-sized, venture and non-capital-area mid-sized companies may use 70% for up to 3 years for a worker with up to 3 years of E-7 work in Korea. The contract must state monthly pay and daily and monthly hours, and hourly and monthly pay must meet the minimum wage: ₩10,320 an hour in 2026 and ₩10,700 from January 1, 2027.

What the employer must show

• The company must be allowed to hire in that occupation and must not fall under the refusal grounds in Article 17-3(2) of the Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, such as certain immigration law violations or missing foreign worker reports twice or more in the last month.
• It must have no unpaid taxes and submits national and local tax payment certificates (납세증명서).
• It must meet the occupation's own company rules, quota and pay floor.

For most E-7-1 jobs, the national employment protection check is limited to the pay floor. Mechanical engineers, drafters, travel product developers, overseas sales staff, translators and interpreters, and all E-7-2, E-7-3 and E-7-4 jobs face the full check: a company with fewer than 5 Korean employees that sells mainly in Korea is usually refused, and these foreign staff may not exceed 20% of Korean employees. Korean staff count only after 3 months on the employment insurance roster at the minimum wage or above, so a new company normally applies at least 3 months after opening. A small foreign-invested or venture company in manufacturing, trade, consulting or R&D may hire for the 67 E-7-1 occupations without sales for up to 5 years from founding.

Some occupations need a recommendation from the ministry in charge, for example hotel receptionists, medical coordinators, tour interpreter guides, aircraft mechanics and shipbuilding welders. Universities, public institutions and large companies hiring managers are exempt.

How to apply

1. From abroad: the employer applies for a Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance (사증발급인정서, CCVI) at the immigration office (출입국·외국인관서) covering the company's location, on Form No. 21 (별지 제21호서식). The worker then applies for the visa at a Korean embassy or consulate.
2. Already in Korea: the worker applies for a change of status (체류자격 변경허가). This is not allowed from short-term B and C statuses or from D-3, E-8, E-9, E-10 or G-1.
3. Common documents: passport copy and photo, company registration documents, a copy of the contract, the tax certificates, a letter on why the company needs this worker, any required recommendation and proof of education and experience. Some occupations also need a personal guarantee (신원보증서).
4. After entry, the worker registers as a foreign resident within 90 days (Immigration Act, Article 31). The employer must report a resignation or other change within 15 days; see the 15-day report guide.

Stay, job changes and extension

• Each grant of stay is capped at 3 years, or 5 years for talent recommended by a ministry and some workers in special zones. Many E-7-2 and E-7-3 jobs get visas of up to 2 years.
• Most E-7 workers report a new or added workplace within 15 days (Immigration Act, Article 21). Listed jobs, such as sales clerks, cooks, customer service clerks, hotel receptionists, medical coordinators, shipbuilding welders and E-7-4 workers, need permission first.
• Apply for an extension before your permitted stay ends (Article 25), with the contract, a personal income certificate (mandatory), company registration documents, proof of address and the employer's tax certificates. The office checks last year's pay against the floor.
• After 5 years in E-7 (or in E-7 and the residence status F-2), general permanent residence (F-5-1) is possible with at least a bachelor's degree, income of at least twice the previous year's per-capita GNI or the asset test, and the conduct and basic knowledge rules of Article 10-3. The points-based residence status F-2-7 needs 80 points. Foreign founders who invest in their own company use the corporate investment status (D-8) instead.
• Foreign employees may be able to choose a 19% flat income tax rate; see the flat tax guide.

Checklist

• Find the occupation code and group in the manual's list of 94 occupations.
• Check the education rule or exception, and the 2026 pay floor.
• Put pay and working hours in the contract.
• Prepare tax certificates, the employment insurance roster and any required recommendation.
• Register within 90 days of entry and extend before your stay ends.