Specific Activities (E7)
Scope of activity
An E7 (E-7) visa is required for high level foreign employees in private companies or public organizations.
There are 4 subtypes of an E7 visa based on the target jobs:
- Professional workers (E7-1)
- Semi-professional workers (E7-2)
- General workers (E7-3)
- Skilled workers based on the score system (E7-4) *Skilled workers in the specific regions (E7-4R)
- Special professional workers (E7-S)
There are 2 subtypes for special workers:
- Top tier elite for high tech (E7-T)
- Young foreigners who have grown in Korea (E7-Y)
The period of stay is up to 3 years and can be extended.
Eligible jobs
There is a total of 91 jobs for an E7 visa. For a complete job list, please read the PDF document attached.
- Professional workers (E7-1): Senior executive, manager, engineer, nurse, university lecturer, foreign schoolteacher, management expert, overseas salesperson, translator & interpreter, designer, announcer, etc.
- Semi-professional workers (E7-2): salesclerk in duty-free shop, air transport clerk, hotel receptionist, medical coordinator, customer counseling clerk, transportation service worker, tourist interpreter, casino dealer, chef and cook, caregiver
- General workers (E7-3): Animal breeder, aquaculture technician, halal slaughterhouse worker, musical instrument manufacturer and tuner, shipbuilding welder, aircraft mechanic, ship painter, ship electrician, aircraft or its components manufacturer and transmission line electrician, vehicle components manufacturer, slaughterhouse worker
- Skilled workers (E7-4): Skilled worker in the manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, livestock, fishery and construction
- Special professional workers (E7-S): High earners, advanced technology workers
Requirements
Just because you've made an employment contract with local companies does not mean you automatically get an E7 visa. Generally, you must meet the requirements below but those can be slightly different according to the specific occupation. I can check the exact requirements for you.
- A new job must be one of jobs eligible for an E7 visa.
- You must have the degree and career related to the job if you apply for an E7 visa except an E7-4 which has different requirements. Basically, if you have a master's degree or higher, you don't need a career. If you have a bachelor's degree, you must have at least 1 year career, if you have 5 year career, you don't need any degree. All degrees and careers must be related with the desirable job.
- However, you will have eased requirements if you have a degree from a Korean university or junior college, or a degree from a top-ranked foreign university (THE 200, QS 500).
- Additionally, if you are under 30 years old and have graduated from ①an overseas top-ranked university (THE 200, QS 200), ②an overseas university with a major in Korean studies and have excellent Korean speaking skills, or ③an university (QS 1000) in 9 Asian countries with a major in science and engineering fields, you will have eased requirements.
- 9 Asian countries are China, Japan, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thai and Vietnam.
- A regional visa for some metropolitan cities and provinces (Daegu, Ulsan, Gyeonggi, North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang) has relaxed requirements.
- There are specific job types to have relaxed requirements.
- Some job types need stricter requirements about the degree and career.
- Local companies must have a certain level of sales volume and no tax arrears.
- Local companies must hire a certain number of Koreans and pay more than the minimum wage to foreign employees. They can hire only a certain number of foreigners.
You cannot apply overseas for an E7-4 visa.
Top tier elite for high tech (E7-T): You must meet the requirements below.
- You must have at least a master's degree in high technology such as semiconductor, display, bio, battery from at least top 100th ranked university in the world.
- You must be employed by local high tech company as chief engineer or similar position.
- Your annual salary must be at least twice last year's GNI per capita.
- You have worked at a company or research institute for certain period before.
Young foreigners who have grown in Korea (E7-Y): Check this post.
Process
- Companies and organizations make an employment contract with you.
- You must apply for an E7 visa issuance or change of status of stay.
- Authorities will issue an E7 visa after checking eligibility.
- You can start work. So, you cannot start work without an E7 visa even after being employed.
E9, E10, H2 → E7-4
An E9, E10 and H2 visa holders can change to an E7-4 visa status if all of the following requirements are met:
- Employed in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, livestock, and fishery fields for at least 4 years in the past 10 years with the above 3 visa types. It is also possible if you stayed in an area other than Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi for 3 years.
- Get a certain score on the score system
- No criminal record, no tax arrear (but possible after full payment), no violation of Korean immigration law four or more times and no illegal stay for three or more months
The visa for skilled workers in the specific regions (E7-4R) is explained here in Korean.
Service
Product
Online Consultation
33,000 won (33 USD)
Application Support
110,000 won (110 USD)
Document Preparation
22,000 won (22 USD)
Documents Submission
100,000 won ~
Online Application
30,000 won ~
Representation
300,000 won ~
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