Semi-professional visa at a glance
| Official name | Semi-professional category of specially designated activities (E-7) |
|---|---|
| Occupation check | The Ministry of Justice public notice lists chefs and cooks (441) among the occupations subject to prior review under E-7. The detailed category for that occupation is checked against the designated occupations at the time of application. |
| 2026 wage requirement | KRW 25.89 million or more a year, in effect from 2026-02-01 to 2026-12-31. Where an occupation has its own criterion, that criterion applies |
| Criteria reviewed | Occupation designation criteria, company criteria and individual qualifications, checked 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
- Cooks and the official name
- The official category is semi-professional (E-7-2). The Ministry of Justice public notice lists chefs and cooks (441) as an occupation subject to prior review under E-7. That notification alone does not confirm how the occupation corresponds to E-7-2.
- Duties and personal qualifications
- The review looks at the duties, the company, and your education and work experience together. Occupation designation criteria, company criteria and individual qualifications are checked in the official guidance at the time of application.
- Wage requirement and review
- Meeting the announced wage requirement is a separate matter from the outcome of the visa status review. Occupation designation, company criteria and individual requirements are reviewed together.
- Period in effect
- The wage figure comes from the 2026 official notice and applies for a set period. Check the notice again at the time of application.
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
Being a cook does not on its own decide E-7-2. Chefs and cooks (441) is an occupation subject to prior review under E-7 in the Ministry of Justice public notice. Whether E-7-2 applies is checked separately against the designated occupations and the criteria for the individual and the employer at the time of application.
No. The official category is semi-professional (E-7-2) within specially designated activities (E-7). 'Cook' is not used as the official name of E-7-2.
Under the Ministry of Justice 2026 official notice, it is KRW 25.89 million or more a year, in effect from 2026-02-01 to 2026-12-31. Where a different criterion is set for an occupation, that criterion applies. For later periods, check the official notice in effect when you apply.
The wage requirement is one of the criteria set in the official notice. Occupation designation, company criteria and individual qualifications are reviewed together.
The employment contract, education and work experience, and company documents are listed as the categories reviewed. 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 duties of the role and the company's situation, and we will reply with the category to consider.