🇰🇷 South Korea · Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
Quick answer
Foreign nationals need a work visa matching the job (e.g. E-7 for skilled roles, D-8 for corporate investors, E-9 for non-professional employment); HiKorea is the government immigration portal. Most work visas are employer-linked.
Foreign nationals need an appropriate work visa (e.g. E-7 skilled, D-8 investment) to work in South Korea; HiKorea is the government immigration portal.
- Work visas (E-series, D-8, etc.) match the job and qualifications.
- Most work visas are employer-linked; changing employer may need approval.
- HiKorea handles applications and residence procedures.
Official authorities
- HiKorea
Government immigration and visa portal.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main Korean work visas?
Common ones are the E-7 (skilled/professional), D-8 (corporate investor) and E-9 (non-professional employment); the right one depends on your role and qualifications.
Can I change employers on a work visa?
Often yes, but many work visas are tied to a sponsoring employer, so changing jobs usually needs immigration approval or a new visa.
Is there a points-based residence option?
Yes — the F-2-7 points-based residence lets qualifying long-term residents accumulate points toward a more flexible status.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Government of Korea — Korea's integrated government portal — policy, administrative services, e-government
- Korea Immigration Service (HiKorea) — Visas, residence status changes, work permits, and alien registration in Korea
- National Tax Service (NTS) — Korean income tax, corporate tax, VAT filing; annual comprehensive tax return for foreigners (May); foreign taxpayer incentive lookup