The E-7 skilled work visa
Korea's main professional work visa — subcategories, salary floors, and how sponsorship works.
In short
- The E-7 is Korea's main skilled/professional work visa — white-collar and skilled-trade roles in occupations designated by the Ministry of Justice.
- Employer-sponsored. You can't apply on your own — a Korean company must offer you a job and file for you.
- Salary floors matter. For 2026: E-7-1 ≥ about ₩31.12M/year; E-7-2/E-7-3 ≥ about ₩25.89M/year. Below the floor = automatic rejection.
- Your major and experience must match the specific occupation code, and the employer usually needs enough Korean staff (the "20% rule").
The E-7 is the standard route for professionals building a career in Korea, and the gateway to long-term residence (F-2-7 → F-5). It's powerful but strict: it's built around occupation codes, employer sponsorship and salary thresholds, and small mismatches sink applications.
The four subcategories
| Type | Who |
|---|---|
| E-7-1 | Professionals — managers & specialists (IT, engineering, finance, marketing, design, etc.). ~67 occupations. Most white-collar hires. |
| E-7-2 | Semi-professional office/service workers (~10 occupations) |
| E-7-3 | Skilled trades/technicians — welders, painters and similar (~10 occupations) |
| E-7-4 | Points-based skilled workers — the upgrade path for long-term E-9/E-10/H-2 workers (2026 quota 33,000) |
There are also elite tracks (E-7-S / E-7-T "Top-Tier") for high-tech and innovation talent, which are faster and can skip income bars via awards, papers or career record.
Who qualifies (E-7-1)
The most common route. You generally need one of:
- A master's degree or higher in a field related to the job, or
- A bachelor's degree + 1+ year of relevant experience, or
- 5+ years of experience in the field (no degree)
The salary floors (2026)
The Ministry of Justice sets minimums for applications filed Feb 1–Dec 31, 2026:
- E-7-1: at least about ₩31,120,000/year
- E-7-2 / E-7-3: at least about ₩25,890,000/year
Since 2025 the same floor applies regardless of company size. If your offer is below the floor, immigration will reject it no matter how strong everything else is — and for senior roles, meeting only the bare minimum can itself raise doubts.
What the employer must show
- The "20% rule": for many occupations, foreigners can be at most 20% of the company's Korean (insured) headcount — so you generally need ~5 Korean employees per foreign hire. (Relaxed for some IT/startup and high-tech cases.)
- A "reason for employment" statement — a convincing explanation of why this foreigner, and why a Korean can't fill the role. Vague reasons ("hard-working") get rejected.
- Business registration, tax records, financial statements, the contract and job description. Companies with tax or labor violations can be refused.
How the process works
Get a job offer & sign
Find a sponsoring employer and sign a contract meeting the salary floor for your subcategory. You can't start this from abroad on your own.
Employer files for the CCVI
In Korea, the employer applies for a Certificate of Confirmation of Visa Issuance (사증발급인정서) at the immigration office. This takes ~2–4 weeks.
You apply for the visa stamp
With the CCVI number, you apply at a Korean consulate abroad for the visa (~1–3 weeks). Overseas documents must be translated and apostilled/consular-authenticated.
Enter & get your ARC
Enter Korea and register for your ARC within 90 days. Plan 3–7 weeks end-to-end (longer in the Feb–Apr peak).
Living on E-7
- Renewable indefinitely (issued 1–3 years) as long as you keep qualifying employment and still meet the salary floor at each renewal.
- Tied to your employer, role and workplace. Changing jobs needs prior reporting/approval and often a fresh CCVI — the new employer must also qualify.
- Family: spouse and unmarried children under 19 can join on F-3 dependent visas (F-3 can't work without separate authorization).
- Path to residence: E-7 → F-2-7 → F-5. No Korean required for E-7 itself, but TOPIK strongly helps the residency steps.
- Tax perk: ask HR about the foreign-worker flat 19% option and any engineer tax reductions (see tax guide).
Common questions
Can I apply for E-7 without a job?
No — it's employer-sponsored. You need a signed contract with a qualifying Korean company first. If you're job-hunting, look at the D-10 job-seeker route.
Why do applications get rejected?
Most often: salary below the floor, job duties not matching the occupation code, weak "reason for employment," or the employer failing the 20% rule or having tax/labor issues.
Can I change jobs?
Yes, with prior approval and a qualifying new employer — often a fresh CCVI. Don't start new work before it's approved.
Can my spouse work?
On F-3 (dependent) they can't work without separate authorization — they'd need their own qualifying visa.
Sources: Korea Immigration Service / Ministry of Justice, HiKorea, KOWORK visa center. 2026 salary floors (E-7-1 ₩31.12M; E-7-2/3 ₩25.89M) per MOJ, effective Feb 1, 2026.
Last verified: July 2026. Occupation lists, salary floors and rules change yearly — confirm your case at hikorea.go.kr, call 1345, or consult a licensed 행정사. General information, not immigration or legal advice.
Going for an E-7?
Ask others how they matched their occupation code and cleared the salary floor — post in the community and tag it Immigration.