The E-7 visa is South Korea's visa for skilled foreign professionals. If you have the right education or experience — and good Korean — it can lead to a professional career in Korea, with a path toward long-term residency.
The opportunity
Korea actively hires foreign professionals in approved jobs such as IT and software, engineering, research, design, marketing, finance, and healthcare. The E-7 is a longer-term professional visa, and people who hold it long-term can move toward residency (the F-2 and F-5 visas).
The pay
E-7 jobs pay professional salaries, not minimum wage. For the main professional category, the Korean government's 2026 minimum salary is about KRW 31,120,000 per year (roughly USD $22,500), and real salaries are often higher — usually far above what the same profession pays in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia. (Figures are approximate and can change.)
What the E-7 requires
We will always be honest about this. To qualify for an E-7, you generally need:
- A sponsoring Korean employer. A Korean company must offer you a job and apply for your visa. You cannot apply on your own.
- Professional qualifications. Usually a master's degree, or a bachelor's degree plus about one year of relevant experience, or around five years of relevant work experience. Your field must match one of the government's approved E-7 jobs.
- A salary that meets the government's minimum for your job category.
- Korean language ability. A major advantage — TOPIK Level 3, and ideally Level 4 or higher, makes you much more competitive and helps your visa. Some roles do not strictly require it, but it always helps.
Where VISION KOREA fits
Korean is often the difference between two candidates. We prepare you to reach TOPIK Level 3 and beyond — the level that makes professionals competitive — and we guide you in understanding the E-7 requirements and how to look for a sponsoring employer. We help you become qualified and competitive. We do not provide the job offer, the degree, or the visa, and we cannot guarantee employment — that depends on your qualifications, Korean employers, and government rules.
The E-7 is a skilled-professional visa. It requires education or experience and a job offer from a Korean employer, in addition to Korean language. Korean alone does not qualify you — but it is one of the strongest advantages you can have.