change of status in Korea 보관 - Korea Life Guide

The E-7 visa is not a general work permit for any job in Korea. It is a status of stay for activities designated by the Minister of Justice under a contract with a Korean public or private organization. For a successful application, the proposed job, the applicant’s qualifications, the employment contract, the offered salary, and the employer’s business need must fit the applicable E-7 category and occupation rules.

For an applicant abroad, the usual route may involve the employer applying for a Confirmation of Visa Issuance and the applicant then applying at the responsible Korean embassy or consulate. A person already staying in Korea may instead need a change of status application. The correct route and document list depend on the applicant’s current status and the specific E-7 subcategory.

Eligibility: does the role fit E-7?

Under Korea’s status-of-stay framework, E-7 covers designated activities performed under a contract with a Korean organization. It includes several distinct subcategories, so applicants and employers should not assume that all E-7 routes use the same criteria. See the official status-of-stay schedule.

E-7-1: professional employment, commonly relevant to specialist, management, and professional roles.
E-7-2: designated semi-professional employment.
E-7-3: designated skilled-function employment.
E-7-4: a skilled-worker points-based route, generally distinct from an ordinary overseas professional recruitment case.

A four-part check before preparing an E-7-1 case

Confirm the occupation and actual duties. A job title by itself is not enough. The duties, work plan, and occupation classification should support the E-7 category.
Match the applicant’s background to the work. Degrees, licences, qualifications, and career records should directly support the duties stated in the contract.
Document why the employer needs this hire. The company may need to provide evidence of employment necessity or, where applicable, a recommendation from the competent authority.
Check the current salary standard. Salary thresholds and occupation-specific rules can change. Confirm the notice in force when filing.

For applications subject to the Ministry of Justice’s 2026 standards, the announced annual minimum salary figures effective from February 2026 are KRW 31.12 million for E-7-1, KRW 25.89 million for E-7-2 and E-7-3, and KRW 26.00 million for E-7-4. These are category-level figures and do not replace a check of the requirements for the precise occupation. Read the Ministry of Justice explanation on the 2026 standards.

Application conditions and required documents

Organize the application in two connected files: an applicant qualification file and an employer sponsorship file. The evidence should consistently show why this company needs this position and why this applicant is qualified to perform it.

Applicant documents to prepare

Valid passport and passport copy
Recent visa photograph
Signed employment contract
Degree certificate, licence, or other qualification evidence where relevant
Career certificates or employment-verification letters with duties and dates
Occupation-specific evidence requested for the role
Documents required by the Korean embassy or consulate handling the visa application
Confirmation of Visa Issuance number or approval details, if that route is used

Korean diplomatic missions commonly require a visa application form, passport, photograph, employment contract, and a Confirmation of Visa Issuance for applicants using that route. The responsible mission may request additional documents after reviewing the case. Example of official E-7 visa requirements from a Korean consulate.

Employer documents to prepare

A detailed employment contract stating duties, remuneration, and key employment terms
Business registration certificate and, where requested, corporate registration documents
A specific job description covering duties, work location, reporting structure, and employment period
Evidence of employment necessity or an employment recommendation when applicable
Documents showing the company’s operational capacity if requested
Documents showing that the offered remuneration meets the applicable standard
A clear explanation linking the applicant’s education and career to the proposed role
Former-workplace consent or release documents if required in a workplace-change case

For an in-Korea E-7 change of status, the official rules list documents including an employment recommendation or evidence of employment necessity, an employment contract, proof of education and career, and business registration documents. Additional evidence may be required depending on the case. Check the Immigration Control Enforcement Rules.

Practical document-quality checklist

Make the job description specific; broad labels such as “manager” or “specialist” are not enough on their own.
Ensure the contract, job description, business explanation, and career evidence describe the same type of work.
Ask former employers to include exact dates, position, department, and a concise description of actual duties in career certificates.
Check in advance whether translations, notarization, apostilles, legalization, or other authentication are required for documents issued outside Korea.

Application procedure

Route 1: the applicant is outside Korea

For many E-7 cases, the Korean inviter or an authorized representative can apply online for a Confirmation of Visa Issuance through the Korea Visa Portal. The portal states that this process allows an inviter to apply without visiting a domestic immigration office, after which the applicant may seek visa issuance at an overseas Korean diplomatic mission using the approved confirmation. E-7 is among the eligible statuses. Korea Visa Portal: Confirmation of Visa Issuance.

Confirm the correct E-7 subcategory and eligible occupation.
Prepare the employer sponsorship evidence and applicant qualification documents.
Apply for a Confirmation of Visa Issuance if the route is available for the case.
Provide the confirmation number or approval details to the applicant.
The applicant applies for the visa at the Korean embassy or consulate responsible for their residence area.
After entry, complete any required post-entry registration procedures.

The Korea Visa Portal lists a passport-copy file, a color photo file measuring 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm, and status-specific supporting documents among the preparation items for this process.

Route 2: the applicant is already in Korea

An applicant who is lawfully staying in Korea may need a change of status of stay rather than an overseas visa application. Whether this is allowed depends on the person’s present status, the intended E-7 activity, and the applicable immigration rules.

Do not assume that visa-free entry, visitor status, or another short-term stay can always be changed to E-7 inside Korea. Confirm the permitted route with the competent immigration office before setting a work start date or beginning employment.

Route 3: changing or adding a workplace

An E-7 holder should not begin work for a new employer merely because a new contract has been signed. Depending on the facts, a workplace change or addition may require permission or a report, along with the new contract, company documents, and evidence supporting the employment need.

Fees and processing time

There is no single dependable E-7 fee or processing-time figure for every applicant. Visa fees can vary by nationality and by the payment rules of the Korean diplomatic mission. Processing also varies by E-7 category, occupation, document completeness, additional-document requests, immigration-office workload, and mission-specific screening.

Check the current fee directly with the immigration office or diplomatic mission handling the case.
Do not book non-refundable travel based only on an estimated timeline.
Do not resign from current employment or set a final start date until the required permission is in place.

Key cautions

Do not start work early. A signed contract does not itself authorize employment in Korea.
Do not rely only on the job title. Immigration may examine the actual duties and whether they fit the designated occupation.
Do not treat a degree as an automatic approval. The relevant occupation criteria may assess education, qualifications, and work experience differently.
Do not treat E-7-4 as interchangeable with E-7-1. E-7-4 is a points-based skilled-worker route with its own system.
Recheck annual standards. Salary notices, occupation guidance, quotas, and documentary requirements can change for a new application, extension, or workplace change.

E-7 compared with other Korean work statuses

E-1 Professor: for qualifying teaching or research at higher-education institutions.
E-2 Foreign Language Instructor: for eligible foreign-language instruction work.
E-3 Researcher: focused on research and development activities.
E-4 Technical Instructor or Technician: generally focused on specialized technical knowledge or guidance.
E-5 Professional: for work requiring a profession recognized under Korean law.
E-7: for designated professional, semi-professional, skilled, or points-based activities; it is broad but requires a close match among the job, employer, and applicant.
E-9 Non-Professional Employment: for eligible non-professional work under the foreign-worker employment system, not for roles requiring the specialized qualifications generally expected in E-7 cases.
D-10 Job Seeker: for qualifying job-seeking or preparation for a work-status change; it does not provide unrestricted work authorization.

Frequently asked questions

Is E-7 the same as a general work permit in Korea?

No. E-7 is a status of stay for designated activities. The role, employer, applicant qualifications, salary, and documents must fit the applicable E-7 category and rules.

Can any Korean company sponsor an E-7 visa?

Not automatically. The employer must be able to show a legitimate employment need and provide the required company and employment documents. Some cases may require a recommendation from a relevant authority or other evidence of necessity.

Do I need a university degree for E-7-1?

Do not assume that a degree is either a universal requirement or a guarantee of approval. The applicable occupation criteria may evaluate education, licences, qualifications, and career evidence differently. Check the current standard for the specific occupation.

Can I apply for E-7 after arriving in Korea as a visitor?

Do not assume that you can. The availability of a change of status depends on the current status of stay and case-specific rules. Confirm the permitted route before entering Korea for work or beginning any employment.

Can I work for two companies on E-7?

Only after the required workplace-addition permission or reporting procedure has been completed where it applies. A second employment contract alone is not sufficient authorization.

What salary must an E-7 applicant receive in 2026?

The Ministry of Justice announced category-level annual minimum figures effective from February 2026 of KRW 31.12 million for E-7-1, KRW 25.89 million for E-7-2 and E-7-3, and KRW 26.00 million for E-7-4. Recheck the current annual notice and the rules for the exact occupation before filing.

How long does E-7 processing take?

There is no universal timeline. It depends on the route, the processing office or consulate, the E-7 category, the completeness of the documents, and whether additional review is needed.

Final filing check

Before filing, confirm the exact occupation code and duties, qualification alternatives, employer eligibility rules, any quota or recommendation requirement, document-authentication rules, permitted status-change route, current filing and consular fees, and the expected processing procedure with the authority handling the case.

Related Korea visa guides

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Information current as of: 2026-09-15

[태그:] change of status in Korea

E-7 Korea Work Visa: What Applicants and Employers Should Prepare