E-7 Visa Korea: Skilled Professional Work Visa (2026)
Korea's skilled-professional work visa for foreign nationals in 86 designated occupation codes. The most common path for foreign-graduate hires, technical specialists, and corporate transferees in Korea.
Who this visa is for
Foreign professionals hired by Korean employers in one of the 86 E-7 occupation codes (E-7-1 through E-7-4) — software engineers, researchers, financial professionals, designers, technical staff, and related roles.
E-7 visa key facts
- →E-7 covers 86 occupation codes across four sub-categories: E-7-1 (professional, 67 codes), E-7-2 (semi-professional, 9 codes), E-7-3 (skilled, 6 codes), E-7-4 (specially designated, 4 codes)
- →The E-7-1 minimum salary is approximately 31,120,000 KRW per year (2,593,000 KRW per month) for February 2026 onward
- →Maximum initial stay is 3 years, with renewal in 2-year increments
- →D-2 graduates with a confirmed E-7 job offer can apply for direct conversion. Without an offer, they apply for D-10 (job-seeker) within 6 months of graduation
- →Korean university graduates with TOPIK Level 4+ are exempt from the D-10 points test and the financial proof requirement
Read the full guide
D-2 to E-7: The Visa Conversion Roadmap Foreign Graduates Actually Need (2026)
From D-2 student visa to E-7 work visa: the two-track decision tree, D-10 rules after the 2025 reform, salary thresholds, employer documents, and what to do if E-7 sponsorship fails.
Continue to the full E-7 guideOther Korean visa codes
E-9
Non-Professional Employment Visa (EPS)
E-7-M (K-CORE)
Manufacturing-track Skilled Visa
E-2
Conversation Instructor Visa (English Teaching)
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.