Korea has no visa called a sponsorship visa. The employer invites you, and the visa depends on the job. If you want to start with real postings, browse Seoulstart Jobs that mention visa sponsorship.
This guide explains what an employer does, which visas need one, and which do not. It also shows where to look for jobs.
What "sponsorship" means in Korea
People use "visa sponsorship" for a simple idea: a Korean employer supports your right to work. The law does not use that word. It uses invitation (초청). The person who invites you is the inviter (초청자). For a job, that is usually your employer.
Two rules sit behind everything else:
- A foreigner who wants to work in Korea must hold a status that allows employment.
- A foreigner with a work status may not work anywhere other than the designated workplace.
If you are abroad, the employer can apply for a Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance (사증발급인정서) on your behalf. The Ministry of Justice can issue this certificate before the visa. The employer files the application at the immigration office with jurisdiction over the employer's address. When the Ministry approves, the certificate goes to the Korean consulate electronically. The employer gets a certificate number (사증발급인정번호).
You still need a valid passport and a visa issued by the Minister of Justice to enter. A consular visa without a certificate is also possible, so ask your employer which route they plan to use.
If you are already in Korea, the employer's contract supports a change of status or a workplace change permission.
Ready to look? Start with postings that mention visa sponsorship, or see professional roles that usually hire on the E-7. Each posting on Seoulstart Jobs shows its Korean level, likely work route and English friendliness.
Which visas need an employer
The Decree lists the employment statuses: C-4, E-1 through E-10, and H-2. Here are the ones that matter most to a job seeker.
| Visa | Needs an employer? | Who decides | Where to look on Seoulstart |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-7 Specific Activity (특정활동) | Yes, under a contract | Ministry of Justice designates the activities | E-7 collection |
| E-9 Non-professional Employment (비전문취업) | Yes, through the government system | Government and employer under EPS | Not a company-choice route |
| E-1 Professor, E-3 Research | Yes | College or research body | Research roles |
| D-7 Intra-company Transfer, D-8 Corporate Investment | Yes, within a company group or investment | The company and the Ministry | Not a posting route |
| E-2 Foreign Language Instructor (회화지도) | Yes | Institution that hires | Brief mention below |
| F-2, F-4, F-5, F-6, H-1 | No | The status itself | All jobs |
| D-10 Job-seeking (구직) | No | Ministry of Justice | Job alerts |
E-7: the main route for professionals
The E-7 is for a person who works under a contract with a public or private body in an activity the Minister of Justice designates. The Ministry sets the occupation list, not the law.
Check the current E-7 conditions in the E-7 visa guide and the E-7 occupation codes guide before you accept an offer.
Start here if you want a professional job. Browse professional roles that usually hire on the E-7. That collection shows a likely work route. It is not a promise, and the company must confirm.
You can narrow by field: engineering, data, design or marketing.
E-9: the government route
The E-9 works differently. It runs under the Employment Permit System (고용허가제, EPS). The E-9 is for people who meet the domestic employment requirements under the foreign workers law. It excludes professional jobs that need qualifications or experience.
The steps are set by law:
- The employer first applies to the employment security agency to recruit Korean workers.
- Only if the employer cannot hire after the referral can it apply for a permit to employ a foreign worker.
- The agency recommends eligible people from the roster of foreign job seekers.
- The agency issues the permit to the employer who selects one.
The roster is built using a Korean language test (한국어능력시험). So you do not apply to a company. You pass the test and join the roster. See the E-9 visa guide and the EPS guide. Seoulstart Jobs does not cover this route.
E-1 and E-3: professors and researchers
E-1 is for people who meet Higher Education Act qualifications and teach or research at a college or equivalent. E-3 is for people invited by a Korean public or private body to do research at a research institute. Look at research roles on Seoulstart Jobs.
D-7 and D-8: company transfers and investment
D-7 is for a person who worked at least 1 year at a foreign head office, branch or other business site. The company sends this person to its Korean affiliate, subsidiary, branch or office as essential personnel. The 1-year rule does not apply to national key industries, national policy projects, or other cases the Ministry allows. D-8, category (a), is for essential managers or technical staff of a foreign-invested company. People hired in Korea are excluded from that category. Both routes start inside a company, not on a job board.
E-2: teaching
E-2 is for people who meet the Ministry's qualification requirements and teach foreign-language conversation at institutes, schools and similar bodies. This guide does not cover E-2 in depth. See the E-2 visa guide.
Top-tier visa and K-Tech Pass
High earners in advanced fields have a faster route. The top-tier visa launched on April 2, 2025. At launch, it granted F-2 residency to senior engineers in semiconductors, bio, secondary batteries and displays. One route needs a salary of at least 3 times Korea's per-person GNI, a master's or PhD from a world top-100 university, and at least 8 years of work experience (3 at a global top-500 company), or 5 years of post-PhD research (3 at a leading research institute).
KOTRA's K-Tech Pass is for people who have signed an employment contract with a Korean high-tech company. Its benefits include an F-2 visa and online visa processing. Check KOTRA for current coverage, because the page may be outdated.
Visas that do not need an employer
Some statuses already allow work. You do not need an employer to sponsor you. HiKorea lists F-2, F-4, F-5 and H-1 as statuses that allow employment.
- F-2 (Residence, 거주) and F-6 (Marriage Immigrant, 결혼이민): Holders are not restricted in work activity by their status. For F-2, this covers most sub-types. See the F-2 visa guide.
- F-4 (Overseas Korean, 재외동포): Free of status-based limits except simple labor, acts against good morals or public order, and cases where employment must be restricted for the public interest. There is an exception to the simple labor limit for some people in population-decline areas.
- F-5 (Permanent Resident, 영주): Listed by HiKorea as a status that allows employment.
- H-1 (Working Holiday, 관광취업): For nationals of countries that have a working holiday agreement with Korea. It excludes industries against the agreement and jobs that need legal qualifications. See the working holiday guide.
For details on F-4, F-5 and F-6, read work rights for F-4, F-5 and F-6.
If you hold one of these statuses, you can search any posting. Try jobs where Korean is not required, English-friendly jobs, remote jobs or all jobs.
D-10: look first, then get hired
D-10 (Job-seeking) covers people the Minister recognizes who are in training or job-seeking for work in E-1 through E-7 fields. It does not need an employer. It is a bridge: you stay in Korea, look for a job, and your new employer then supports an E-1 to E-7 status. Read the D-10 visa guide.
If you are on a D-10, set up a job alert so new postings reach you. Students and recent graduates can also check internships.
What the employer and you each need to show
Korean law sets the process. The details vary by status. Here is the general split.
The employer:
- Files the application at the immigration office for its address.
- Gets the certificate number once the Ministry approves.
- Reports certain events, such as the worker leaving, to the immigration office within 15 days.
You:
- Hold or apply for a status that allows employment.
- Provide the documents the immigration office requires for your status.
- Work only at the designated workplace.
Ask the employer for a written offer, and for the certificate number once it is issued.
Fees are set by the Enforcement Rule. A consulate review fee for a single-entry visa is the equivalent of US$40 for stays up to 90 days and US$60 for 91 days or more. In Korea, a workplace change or addition permission costs 120,000 KRW, and a status change permission costs 100,000 KRW (200,000 KRW for a change to F-5 permanent residence). The Act says the person who receives the visa or permission pays the fee. Whether your employer covers it depends on your offer, so ask before you accept.
Changing employers
A work status ties you to a workplace. If you are in Korea and want to change or add a workplace within your status, you need permission from the Minister of Justice in advance.
There is one exception. A person with professional knowledge, technology or skill must instead report within 15 days after the change. The Decree defines this group as holders of E-1 through E-7 who meet requirements set by a Ministry of Justice notice.
Nobody may hire a foreigner who did not get the required permission. Arranging that employment is also banned, unless another law allows it.
E-9 workers face stricter limits. A change is allowed only on listed grounds. In principle, workplace changes are capped at 3 during the base period and 2 during the extended period. Reasons that are not the worker's fault do not count toward the cap. A worker must leave Korea if there is no workplace change permission within 3 months of applying, or no application within 1 month after the contract ends.
For the full process, read changing jobs on a Korean work visa.
Red flags
Watch for these warning signs.
- Someone sells you a visa. Korean law bans inviting a foreigner by false statements or improper means. It also bans arranging such an invitation, and falsely applying for a visa or certificate. Do not pay a broker for "sponsorship."
- You are told to start work before the status or permission is ready. Working without an employment-eligible status can bring up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million KRW. The same penalty applies to hiring a person who has none, and to arranging such employment as a business.
- The employer will not give you the contract or certificate number.
- A posting says "sponsorship available" but the employer will not say which visa.
HiKorea says it is unlawful to hire, recommend or arrange hiring of foreigners without the right status. Read job offer red flags in Korea before you sign.
Where to find sponsoring jobs
- Seoulstart Jobs. Start here. Use postings that mention visa sponsorship. These are postings that mention sponsorship in their own text. That is not a guarantee, so confirm with the employer. Then try professional roles that usually hire on the E-7. Add English-friendly jobs or jobs where Korean is not required if language is your concern. Set a job alert and browse the full jobs hub.
- LinkedIn. Useful for multinational and tech employers. Check each posting for visa language.
- Wanted. A Korean job board with many tech and startup roles.
- KOWORK. A board aimed at foreigners looking for work in Korea.
- Saramin and JobKorea. Large Korean-language boards. You may need Korean to use them well.
For a broader comparison, see best job sites in Korea and companies hiring foreigners in Korea.
FAQ
Does Korea offer visa sponsorship?
Not as a formal visa type. Korean law lets an employer invite a foreign worker, and the visa status depends on the job. You can browse postings that mention sponsorship on Seoulstart Jobs.
Which visa do I get if a Korean company hires me from abroad?
Many professional roles use the E-7 (Specific Activity) visa. Teaching, research and company transfers use other E visas or D-7. Seoulstart Jobs groups professional roles that usually hire on the E-7.
Who pays for the visa, the employer or the worker?
Korean law says the person who receives the visa or permission pays the government fee. Whether your employer covers or repays it depends on your offer, so ask in writing before you accept.
Can I switch employers without losing my visa?
Yes, but you need the right step first. Changing a workplace within your status needs permission in advance. Some E-1 to E-7 holders who meet Ministry of Justice requirements report the change within 15 days instead. E-9 workers face stricter limits.
Can I look for a job in Korea first and then get sponsored?
Yes. The D-10 job-seeking visa is for people who look for work in E-1 to E-7 fields. Set a job alert so new postings reach you while you search.
Which visas let me work in Korea without a sponsor?
F-2, F-4, F-5, F-6 and H-1 holders can work without an employer sponsor. F-4 holders cannot do simple labor, with one exception. H-1 is only for nationals of countries with a working holiday agreement. Search all jobs if you hold one of these.
Is a job posting that mentions visa sponsorship a guarantee?
No. It means the posting's own text mentions sponsorship. Ask the employer to confirm in writing which visa they will support.
Should I pay an agent for a visa?
Korean law bans inviting a foreigner or applying for a visa by false means, and bans arranging that. Use postings from employers directly, and do not pay anyone who promises a visa.