How Korean Companies Sponsor an E-7 Visa: A Guide for Employers

Hiring a skilled foreign professional can fill a gap your team has struggled to close. In South Korea, that hire usually runs through the E-7 visa, and the employer carries most of the early paperwork. This guide walks through what your company needs to prepare before the offer goes out.

What the E-7 visa is for

The E-7 visa brings skilled foreign professionals into the Korean labor market. Eligible fields are set by the Ministry of Justice and include IT, engineering, finance, design, culinary arts and other specialized professions. Job categories can change, so check the current list with the Ministry of Justice before you make an offer.

Step 1: Make a job offer that meets the conditions

An E-7 visa cannot be applied for by the candidate alone. A Korean company has to sponsor the hire. Before you make the offer, confirm three things:

• The role falls within an eligible field.

• The salary is at least the legal minimum wage.

• The candidate will have health insurance.

The candidate also needs suitable qualifications. A bachelor's degree in a related field is the usual baseline, with roughly one to one and a half years of relevant experience. Without a degree, the experience requirement is typically over five years.

Step 2: Prepare your company documents

Your company prepares the documents that support the sponsorship. Expect to provide:

• A copy of the job offer or employment contract

• Your corporate business registration certificate

• A plan to employ, which explains why you are hiring a foreign worker for the role

• A staff list showing the number of Korean and foreign workers in the company

Keep these records current, so they match each other when they are filed.

Step 3: Apply for the visa issuance certificate

Once the hire is confirmed, the employer obtains a visa issuance certificate from the Ministry of Justice on the candidate's behalf and files it with Korean immigration. If the file is approved, the candidate receives a visa issuance number. That number is the signal that Korea has cleared the candidate to apply for the visa. Processing time varies, and the candidate's own timeline depends on it.

Step 4: Support the candidate after arrival

The candidate applies for the visa stamp at a Korean embassy or consulate in their home country, using the visa issuance number. After arriving in Korea, they have 90 days to register for an Alien Registration Card (ARC) at a local immigration office. The ARC is needed for everyday tasks such as opening a bank account and getting a phone line, so plan for it in the first weeks of employment.

Costs to plan for

Visa fees depend on nationality and consulate, and some embassies also charge a fee for issuing the visa. Notarized and certified translated documents add cost, and a health check may be required for certain roles. Agree on who pays these costs before the offer is signed.

Get help before you start

Sponsorship rules and eligible categories change. If you want to confirm whether a role qualifies and what your company needs to prepare, book a free 30-minute consultation with J&J Korea. We can go through the role, your company documents and the timeline with you.