General skilled work visa at a glance
| Official name | General skilled category of specially designated activities (E-7) |
|---|---|
| Occupation check | The Ministry of Justice public notice lists shipbuilding welders (7430) 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 work experience, checked in the official guidance at the time of application |
| Regional pilot scheme | A shipbuilding pilot scheme in Ulsan and South Gyeongsang, running until December 2026. It works through relaxed experience requirements, a recommendation from the local government and a decision by the Ministry of Justice. |
| What K-Biz Visa handles | Consultation, document preparation and filing with the immigration office |
Common points of confusion
- Shipbuilding and the official name
- The official category is general skilled work (E-7-3). The Ministry of Justice public notice lists shipbuilding welders (7430) as an occupation subject to prior review under E-7. That notification alone does not confirm how the occupation corresponds to E-7-3.
- Skilled trades in general
- Working in a skilled trade does not on its own place you in E-7-3. The review looks at the list of designated occupations at the time of application and your work experience together.
- What is confirmed for painters
- Shipbuilding welders (7430) are confirmed as an occupation subject to prior review. Other shipbuilding occupations, such as painters, are checked separately against the list of designated occupations at the time of application.
- Scope of the regional pilot scheme
- The Ulsan and South Gyeongsang shipbuilding pilot scheme is a temporary pilot running until December 2026. It works through a recommendation from the local government and a decision by the Ministry of Justice. It does not apply nationwide.
- Wage requirement and review
- Meeting the criteria in the official notice is a separate matter from the outcome of the review. Occupation designation and company criteria are reviewed together.
- Period in effect
- The wage requirement 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
Working in shipbuilding does not on its own decide E-7-3. Shipbuilding welders (7430) are an occupation subject to prior review under E-7 in the Ministry of Justice public notice. Whether E-7-3 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 general skilled work (E-7-3) within specially designated activities (E-7). The industry alone does not decide the detailed visa status.
Shipbuilding welders (7430) are confirmed as an occupation subject to prior review. Other detailed occupations, such as painters, are checked separately against the list of designated occupations at the time of application.
It is a shipbuilding pilot scheme running in Ulsan and South Gyeongsang until December 2026. Relaxed experience requirements are mentioned with it. The local government makes the recommendation, and the Ministry of Justice decides the requirements and issuance.
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.
The contract, work experience and company documents are listed as categories of evidence. 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.