Your passport decides which Korean work visas you can get. A US citizen can teach English on an E-2 visa, a Vietnamese citizen can apply for factory and farm jobs through the Employment Permit System, and an Indian citizen has extra routes under a trade agreement with Korea. All six passports can aim for the E-7 professional visa.
One rule applies to every passport. Visa-free entry and K-ETA cover short visits only. If you want paid work in Korea, even short-term, you must get the matching visa before you enter. Korea does not normally let visa-free visitors extend or change status inside the country, so "come as a tourist, find a job, switch visas" is not a plan.
If you already have a field in mind, browse Korea jobs for English speakers and the companies that sponsor work visas while you read.
Which routes does each passport open?
| Passport | Visa-free short visit | Working holiday (H-1) | EPS factory and farm jobs (E-9) | E-2 teaching | Special route | Apostille country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | No, visa needed (mainland) | No | No | Public schools only, under CEPA (very rare) | CEPA: E-7-91, intra-company and contract staff | Yes |
| United States | Yes, 90 days | Yes, WEST program for students and recent graduates | No | Yes, English | None beyond WEST | Yes |
| Philippines | No, visa needed (mainland) | No | Yes | Standard E-2: no for English | None | Yes |
| Japan | Yes, 90 days | Yes | No | Yes, to teach Japanese | None | Yes |
| Vietnam | No, visa needed (mainland) | No | Yes | Standard E-2: no for English | None | Yes, since September 11, 2026 |
| France | Yes, 90 days | Yes | No | Yes, to teach French | None | Yes |
The E-7 professional visa is open to all six passports. It is covered in its own section below.
On K-ETA: the K-ETA list includes the US, Japan, and France, each with a 90-day stay. India, the Philippines, and Vietnam are not on it. Korea has extended a temporary K-ETA exemption through December 31, 2026, for the countries that were already exempt. The notice does not list those countries, so check k-eta.go.kr for your passport before you travel.
India
Indian citizens have the most unusual set of options of these six passports. Several common routes are closed to them, but treaty routes open others that almost no other passport has.
What is closed:
- No visa-free entry to mainland Korea. Korea's visa waiver agreement with India covers diplomatic and official passports only, and India is not on the K-ETA list. Jeju Island has its own visa-free entry scheme, but it does not allow work.
- No working holiday. India has no working holiday arrangement with Korea.
- No EPS. India is not one of the 17 EPS sending countries.
- No standard private academy E-2. The standard E-2 for teaching English at a private academy (hagwon, 학원) needs citizenship of one of the 7 native-English countries. India is not one of them. One exception: the spouse of an E-1 to E-7 professional, or of a science or engineering master's or PhD student, can teach English conversation on E-2 with a TESOL certificate and a bachelor's degree, whatever their nationality.
For scale: 20,852 Indian nationals were in Korea on September 30, 2026, counting every status, short-term visitors included. Of those, 1,724 held E-7 and 2,277 held D-2 student visas.
The E-7 professional visa
For most Indian professionals, E-7 is the main route. The general rule, pay floors, and documents are in the E-7 basics section below. Two exceptions can help Indian applicants:
- Top Asian university fast track. If you are 29 or under, hold a science or engineering bachelor's degree or higher from an Indian university in the QS top 1,000, and have TOPIK level 2 or above, Korea waives the work-experience requirement. The employer still has to show it needs you.
- Top world university or global company. A bachelor's degree from a university in the Times top 200 or QS top 500 can replace the 1 year of experience. One year or more of professional work at a Global Fortune 500 company can stand in for the degree and experience rules.
Browse E-7 visa jobs in Korea to see which roles employers are filling.
CEPA independent professionals (E-7-91)
The Korea-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA, 한-인도 포괄적경제동반자협정) opens the E-7-91 visa, the FTA independent professional (FTA 독립전문가), to Indian professionals.
It is for a self-employed Indian citizen who is not attached to an Indian company and who enters Korea to carry out a service contract with a Korean company or person. You need:
- A bachelor's degree or higher related to one of the professional occupations Korea opened to India under CEPA.
- At least 1 year of experience in that field.
- For biologists and biochemists, a PhD or an equivalent qualification.
Ask the Korean embassy whether your occupation is on the CEPA list before you sign a contract.
Intra-company transfers and contract staff
The Korea-India Visa Simplification Agreement (한․인도 사증절차간소화협정) covers "employment visitors". These are people employed by a registered company, or under contract, in skilled roles such as technical expert, executive, or manager. Examples include intra-company transferees, contract service suppliers, and independent professionals.
- Your visa type follows your contract. Depending on how you are sent or hired, you get D-7 (intra-company transfer), D-8 (corporate investment), D-9 (trade management), E-3 (research), E-4 (technical guidance), E-7, or another status.
- First stay is 1 year, extended 1 year at a time.
- The visa is multiple-entry for 3 years, or for the contract length if it is shorter. Under designated programs between the two governments, it is 5 years.
If your Indian employer has a Korean office, ask HR whether a transfer fits this route.
Short business trips are not work. CEPA also has a short-term business visa (C-3-5) for staff of Indian companies who visit to negotiate sales or prepare an investment company. The stay is up to 90 days, and it does not allow employment.
Teaching English in public schools (E-2-91)
Under CEPA, Indian citizens can teach English as assistant teachers in Korean public schools through EPIK (원어민 영어보조교사). The visa code is E-2-91. You need:
- A bachelor's degree or higher.
- A teacher's certificate in English education. EPIK states that a TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA certificate does not meet this requirement.
This route exists on paper, but almost nobody uses it. On September 30, 2026, Korea's statistics showed exactly 1 Indian national on an E-2 visa. Do not plan a move around this route alone. If you hold an English teaching certificate, apply to EPIK and keep an E-7 search running at the same time. See current English teaching jobs in Korea for what schools are hiring.
Documents from India
India is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, and Korea's manual lists it as an apostille country. That means your degree and criminal record certificate are authenticated by apostille, not by the Korean consulate. Your criminal record certificate must cover your record across all of India, and it must be issued within 6 months of your application. Ask the Korean embassy or your employer which Indian authority issues the version they accept.
Korea lists India among 35 tuberculosis high-risk countries. Expect a TB screening step when you apply for a visa or register your stay.
United States
US citizens are the only passport of these six with the standard English-teaching E-2.
- Visa-free visit: 90 days, K-ETA eligible. No paid work.
- E-2 English teaching: open. The US is one of the 7 native-English countries. EPIK public-school E-2 visas for Americans are multiple-entry.
- Working holiday (WEST): open to students in higher education and people who graduated within the past year.
- EPS: not available. The US is not an EPS country.
For scale: 191,969 US nationals were in Korea on September 30, 2026, all statuses counted. That includes 52,073 visitors on visa-free entry, 5,441 on E-2, and 1,379 on E-7.
The WEST working holiday
The US working holiday runs through the WEST arrangement. The H-1 visa is multiple-entry with an 18-month stay, and the quota is 2,000. The Working Holiday Info Center notes that US participants can get an extension of up to 6 months.
Korean sources do not agree on the age limit for US applicants. One government source shows 18 to 30, and another says no age limit applies. Ask the Korean consulate that serves your state before you plan around your age.
Teaching English on E-2
For a private academy E-2, you need a bachelor's degree from a university in a native-English country, plus:
- A degree certificate with an apostille. The US is an Apostille Convention member.
- A nationwide criminal record check with an apostille, issued within 6 months. For US citizens, this is the FBI Identity History Summary, requested directly or through an FBI-approved channeler. A state check counts only if it covers all of the US.
- A contract that pays at least the Korean minimum wage for that year.
Each E-2 grant lasts up to 2 years. The E-2 visa guide covers the full process, and teaching jobs in Korea shows current openings with typical pay by employer type.
If you do not want to teach, the non-teaching jobs guide and the E-7 jobs hub cover the professional route.
Philippines
For Filipino citizens, the two main routes are EPS for factory, farm, and similar jobs, and E-7 for professionals.
- No visa-free entry to mainland Korea. The visa waiver agreement covers diplomatic and official passports only, and the Philippines is not on the K-ETA list. Jeju Island's visa-free scheme does not allow work.
- No working holiday. The Philippines has no working holiday agreement with Korea.
- No standard E-2 for English. The Philippines is not one of the 7 native-English countries, and the CEPA teaching exception applies only to India. One exception: the spouse of an E-1 to E-7 professional, or of a science or engineering master's or PhD student, can teach English conversation on E-2 with a TESOL certificate and a bachelor's degree, whatever their nationality.
For scale: 74,562 Filipino nationals were in Korea on September 30, 2026, all statuses counted. Of those, 26,077 held E-9 and 4,161 held E-7.
EPS (E-9)
The Philippines is one of the 17 EPS sending countries. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is the EPS sending agency in the Philippines. Go through the DMW, not a private broker.
To take EPS-TOPIK, you must:
- Be 18 to 39 years old.
- Have no criminal record of imprisonment or heavier.
- Have no past deportation from Korea.
- Have no restriction on leaving your country.
- Not have stayed in Korea for 5 years or more on E-9, on E-10, or on E-9 and E-10 combined.
EPS lets you work for up to 4 years 10 months, on the condition that you work for the employer that hired you. Read the EPS guide and the EPS-TOPIK guide for the full steps, and see E-9 jobs in Korea.
E-7 for professionals
Filipino graduates can use the same E-7 rules as everyone else. The top Asian university fast track also covers QS top-1,000 universities in the Philippines: age 29 or under, a science or engineering bachelor's or higher, and TOPIK level 2 or above.
The Philippines is an Apostille Convention member, and Korea's manual lists it. Korea also lists the Philippines as a tuberculosis high-risk country, so expect a TB screening step.
Japan
Japanese citizens can start with a working holiday and then move to a work visa.
- Visa-free visit: 90 days, K-ETA eligible. No paid work.
- Working holiday: open.
- E-2: open for teaching Japanese.
- EPS: not available.
For scale: 54,567 Japanese nationals were in Korea on September 30, 2026, all statuses counted. That includes 21,435 visa-free visitors, 2,225 on H-1, 777 on E-7, and 126 on E-2.
Working holiday
The Working Holiday Info Center lists ages 18 to 25 for Japan, extended to 30 if there are unavoidable circumstances. Korea's visa manual says the limit was expanded to 30 by agreement. Confirm your age eligibility with the Korean consulate before you apply.
- Quota: 10,000.
- You can take part twice, not just once.
- The visa is single-entry, with a 1-year stay.
- No visa fee is charged to Japanese applicants.
The working holiday guide explains what work is allowed. If you speak Korean, the Korean-speaking jobs list is a good place to look.
E-2 and E-7
You can hold an E-2 to teach Japanese if you have a bachelor's degree from a university in Japan. For the degree certificate, Japan can use a separate confirmation from a Japanese government body instead of an apostille. Japan is also an Apostille Convention member.
For professional jobs, E-7 rules apply. The top Asian university fast track covers QS top-1,000 universities in Japan.
Vietnam
Vietnamese citizens are the largest group in this guide by far, and EPS is the biggest route in.
- No visa-free entry to mainland Korea. The visa waiver agreement covers diplomatic and official passports only, and Vietnam is not on the K-ETA list. Jeju Island's visa-free scheme does not allow work.
- No working holiday. Vietnam has no working holiday agreement with Korea.
- No standard E-2 for English. Vietnam is not one of the 7 native-English countries. One exception: the spouse of an E-1 to E-7 professional, or of a science or engineering master's or PhD student, can teach English conversation on E-2 with a TESOL certificate and a bachelor's degree, whatever their nationality.
For scale: 388,288 Vietnamese nationals were in Korea on September 30, 2026, all statuses counted. Of those, 45,157 held E-9, 16,886 held E-7, and 77,881 held D-2 student visas.
EPS (E-9)
Vietnam is one of the 17 EPS sending countries. The Center of Overseas Labour (COLAB) is the EPS sending agency in Vietnam. Go through COLAB, not a private broker. The EPS-TOPIK age limit is 18 to 39, and EPS work lasts up to 4 years 10 months with the employer that hired you. Start with the EPS guide and check E-9 jobs in Korea.
From student to professional
If you plan to study in Korea first, these pages cover the path from study to work: the D-10 jobs hub, the D-10 visa guide, and the D-2 to E-7 guide. Job fairs for foreign job seekers are a practical way to meet employers in person.
Graduates of QS top-1,000 universities in Vietnam can also use the top Asian university fast track: age 29 or under, a science or engineering bachelor's or higher, and TOPIK level 2 or above.
Apostille: new in 2026
Vietnam joined the Apostille Convention, and it took effect for Vietnam on September 11, 2026. Korea's visa manual list of apostille countries is dated June 2024 and does not include Vietnam yet. Before you get documents authenticated, ask the Korean embassy in Hanoi or the immigration office handling your visa whether they want an apostille or consular confirmation. The marriage documents guide covers the same change.
Korea lists Vietnam as a tuberculosis high-risk country, so expect a TB screening step.
France
French citizens can start with a working holiday, teach French, or take the E-7 route.
- Visa-free visit: 90 days, K-ETA eligible. No paid work.
- Working holiday: open.
- E-2: open for teaching French. The standard E-2 for teaching English is not open, because France is not one of the 7 native-English countries. The spouse exception above (India section) also applies to French citizens.
- EPS: not available.
For scale: 12,767 French nationals were in Korea on September 30, 2026, all statuses counted. Of those, 740 held H-1 and 319 held E-7.
Working holiday
- Age: the Working Holiday Info Center lists 18 to 35 for France. Korea's visa manual does not mention France in its age exceptions, so confirm the upper limit with the Korean Embassy in France.
- Quota: 2,000.
- You can work for your whole stay, up to 25 hours a week.
- The visa is multiple-entry, with a 1-year stay.
- No visa fee is charged to French applicants.
Documents from France
France is an Apostille Convention member. Ask the Korean consulate which French criminal record extract it accepts for your visa.
E-7 basics for every passport
The E-7 specific activities visa (특정활동) is the main employer-sponsored work visa, and it is open to all six passports. It has four groups: 67 professional occupations (E-7-1), 10 semi-professional (E-7-2), 14 general skilled (E-7-3), and 3 skilled points-based (E-7-4). The E-7 occupation codes guide lists them.
Who qualifies
You must meet one of these, in a field related to the job:
- A master's degree or higher.
- A bachelor's degree plus at least 1 year of related experience.
- At least 5 years of related experience.
Experience counts only after you earned the degree or licence. In high-tech fields such as IT, bio, and nano, internships before graduation count too.
There are exceptions for strong candidates:
- High earners. If your annual pay is at least 3 times the previous year's per-capita gross national income (1인당 국민총소득, GNI), Korea can waive both the degree and the experience requirements, in any occupation.
- Top world universities (Times top 200 or QS top 500): the 1-year experience requirement can be waived.
- Global Fortune 500 experience: 1 year or more of professional work can stand in for the degree and experience rules.
- Top Asian universities: see the fast track in the India, Philippines, Japan, and Vietnam sections.
2026 minimum pay
| E-7 group | Legal minimum pay in 2026 |
|---|---|
| E-7-1 professional | ₩31.12 million a year |
| E-7-2 semi-professional | ₩25.89 million a year |
| E-7-3 general skilled | ₩25.89 million a year |
| E-7-4 skilled points-based | ₩26 million a year |
These are the legal floors an employer must meet, not typical pay. Some occupations set their own floor. Each E-7 grant lasts up to 3 years, or 5 years for some recommended talent and special zones. The E-7 visa guide and the salary guide for foreign workers go further.
To start your search, use the companies that sponsor visas and the E-7 jobs hub. If you are not in Korea yet, remote jobs let you keep working while you search.
Documents to prepare
Translations. Any document issued outside Korea needs a Korean or English translation.
Authentication. Key documents need an apostille (if your country is a Convention member) or consular confirmation from the Korean embassy in your country (if it is not). For E-7, the manual does not say which documents count as key, and consulates vary. Ask your employer or the consulate.
Criminal record certificate. For E-2, Korea's rules are:
- It must come from a competent authority in your country of nationality and cover your record across the whole country.
- It needs an apostille or consular confirmation.
- It must be issued within 6 months of your application.
For family and long-term visas such as F-4 and F-5, the rules add that you submit the original plus a notarised translation, and that a certificate from your embassy in Seoul is generally not accepted.
For E-2, if you earned your degree in a third country, you also need that country's criminal record certificate. For working holiday visas, a confirmed fine of ₩3 million or more on your record means the visa is refused. For E-7, the standard document list does not include a criminal record check, but some occupations and consulates ask for one.
Tuberculosis screening. India, the Philippines, and Vietnam are on Korea's list of 35 tuberculosis high-risk countries. The US, Japan, and France are not.
If a visa is refused, the visa denial guide explains your next steps. When you have a visa in hand, the moving to Korea checklist covers your first weeks.
