E-2 Visa Korea: Conversation Instructor Visa (English Teaching) (2026)
Korea's E-2 conversation instructor visa (회화지도 비자), the standard route for teaching English at schools and private academies. Restricted to citizens of 7 designated countries, with a bachelor's degree in any field.
Who this visa is for
Citizens of the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa with a bachelor's degree, hired by a Korean school or private academy (hagwon).
E-2 visa key facts
- →The E-2 conversation instructor visa is restricted to citizens of 7 designated countries: USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa
- →All E-2 applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited institution in their home country
- →An apostilled criminal background check is required, plus a post-arrival medical exam within 90 days
- →The E-2 stay period is granted for up to 2 years per issuance, though most teachers renew annually because contracts are typically 1 year
- →Indian nationals with a bachelor's degree and an English-education teaching certificate may apply as English Teaching Assistants through EPIK under the Korea-India CEPA
Read the full guide
E-2 Visa in Korea: The Conversation Instructor's Guide (2026)
Your full guide to Korea's E-2 conversation instructor visa: who qualifies, the apostille checklist by country, the post-arrival medical exam, switching employers, and the path to F-2.
Continue to the full E-2 guideOther Korean visa codes
E-9
Non-Professional Employment Visa (EPS)
E-7
Skilled Professional Work Visa
E-7-M (K-CORE)
Manufacturing-track Skilled Visa
H-1
Working Holiday Visa
D-2
Student Visa (Degree Programs)
D-10
Job Seeker Visa
F-1-D
Digital Nomad (Workation) Visa
F-2
Korean Resident Visa
F-3
Dependent Visa
F-4
Overseas Korean Visa
F-5
Permanent Residence Visa
F-6
Marriage Migrant Visa
For the full reference on Korean visa categories, see all Seoulstart visa guides.