Professional employment visa at a glance
| Official name | Professional category of specially designated activities (E-7) |
|---|---|
| Basic structure | A contract, plus an activity specially designated by the Minister of Justice |
| 2026 wage requirement | KRW 31.12 million or more a year, in effect from 2026-02-01 to 2026-12-31 |
| Document categories reviewed | The contract, the company's need to hire or a recommendation from the relevant government body, education and work experience, and business registration |
| Occupation criteria | Check the designation criteria for each occupation separately in the official guidance at the time of application |
| What K-Biz Visa handles | Consultation, document preparation and filing with the immigration office |
Common points of confusion
- Professional work and E-7-1
- Working in a professional job does not on its own decide E-7-1. The review looks at the contract, the company's need to hire and whether the work is an activity designated by the Minister of Justice.
- Degrees and approval
- Degrees and work experience are categories of evidence listed for the change procedure. Having the documents ready is a separate matter from the outcome of the review.
- Designation criteria by occupation
- Within E-7-1, each occupation has its own designation criteria. The first step is to decide which occupation you apply under.
Before the consultation
For your first enquiry, tell us about the company, the role and your current stay. You do not need to send documents yet. Once we set the scope of the review, we send you a list of what to prepare.
What to tell us first
- The company and the duties of the role
- Type and length of the employment contract
- Your education and work experience
- Your current visa status and entry plans
Documents we ask for later
- Original employment contract
- Degree certificate and certificate of work experience
- Company register and business registration certificate
- Copies of your passport and ID
We ask only for the sensitive documents the review needs, and keep and delete them under our privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
The Ministry of Justice official notice divides E-7 into professional (E-7-1), semi-professional (E-7-2), general skilled work (E-7-3) and skilled worker (E-7-4) categories. They cover different occupations and criteria, so we first decide which category applies.
Under the Ministry of Justice 2026 official notice, it is KRW 31.12 million or more a year, in effect from 2026-02-01 to 2026-12-31. For later periods, check the official notice in effect when you apply.
A degree is one of the categories of evidence listed for the change procedure. The review also looks at the contract, the company's need to hire and whether the work is a designated activity.
The listed categories of evidence are the contract, the company's need to hire or a recommendation from the relevant government body, education and work experience, and business registration. They vary by occupation and case, so we set them out in the consultation.
Related agencies and laws
The procedures and criteria on this page follow the guidance of the agencies and the laws below. How they apply is checked case by case.
Agencies
- Ministry of Justice immigration offices
- Korea Visa Portal
Laws
- Immigration Act
- Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act
- Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act
Send an enquiryTell us the role you are hiring for and the candidate's work experience, and we will reply with the routes to check.