Pathway Guide · Ministry of Justice 2026

E-7 Direct Employment

Get hired by a Korean company from abroad — no Korean degree required. The fastest route if you already have a relevant degree and Korean language skills.

No Korean degree requiredFastest entry routeTOPIK 3+ required in practice

E-7-1 Core Requirements (Professional)

Minimum salary

₩31,120,000/year (2026)

Ministry of Justice mandatory minimum — employer must guarantee this

Education

Bachelor's degree + 1 year relevant experience

Master's or PhD removes the experience requirement

Major-job match

Required

Your degree field must be related to the job — the most common rejection reason

Korean language

TOPIK 2+ (legal minimum)

In practice, most E-7 roles require TOPIK 3–4. Large companies typically want TOPIK 5+

Employer

Must be a registered Korean business

Freelance or contractor arrangements are not eligible

E-7 Subtypes & Salary Thresholds (2026)

E-7-1

Professional ₩31,120,000/year

IT, Engineering, Finance, Design, Marketing, R&D, Management

E-7-2

Semi-professional ₩25,890,000/year

Translation, Culinary, Aviation, Hospitality

E-7-3

General skilled ₩25,890,000/year

Specific occupations designated by MOJ

E-7-4

Skilled technician ₩26,000,000/year

E-9 workers upgrading after 4+ years (manufacturing, construction)

Source: Ministry of Justice Notice No. 2025-406, effective Feb 1 – Dec 31, 2026.

Highest-Demand Sectors for Foreign Hires

IT / Software Development

58.7% talent shortage

Strongest E-7 demand. TOPIK 3+ usually sufficient for foreign hires.

Manufacturing / Engineering

96,000+ person shortage

Semiconductor, automotive, chemical engineering. TOPIK 3+ required.

Construction

57.4% shortage rate

Site management and civil engineering roles. Growing rapidly.

Overseas Marketing / Sales

Bilingual demand high

Korean + home-country language is a strong differentiator. TOPIK 5 preferred.

Source: Ministry of Employment & Labor, 2024.

Application Process

1

Secure a job offer

Korean employer submits a visa sponsorship request (사증발급인정서) to immigration

2

Prepare documents

Degree certificate (apostilled), transcript, employment contract, employer registration docs

3

Apply at Korean embassy

Submit application in your home country or at a Korean consulate

4

Enter Korea + register

Register as a foreign resident within 90 days of arrival (immigration office)

5

Annual renewal

E-7 is tied to your employer — changing jobs requires a new E-7 application within 90 days

⚠️ Key Risks

  • → E-7 is employer-tied. If you leave your job, you have 90 days to find a new E-7 sponsor or your status lapses.
  • → Major-job mismatch is the most common rejection reason — ensure your degree is demonstrably related to your role.
  • → Many smaller Korean companies are unfamiliar with E-7 sponsorship procedures — confirm HR capacity before accepting an offer.
  • → F-5 permanent residency requires ₩43,000,000/year average income over 3 years — the E-7 minimum salary alone does not qualify.
Check E-7 Eligibility →Full Career Score →

Based on Ministry of Justice E-7 guidelines (2026). Not legal advice — consult an immigration specialist for individual cases.