Korea selects by status of stay: employer-tested E-7 work visas, a 170-point F-2-7 residence track scored on age, education, Korean and income, and an F-5 permanent residence test built around GNI multiples and KIIP completion.
- 2026-01-01: Ministry of Justice Notice 2025-406 sets the 2026 wage-requirement standards for the E-7 (specific activities) work visa. official source
Announced by the official authority but not yet in force — always verify against the official source before relying on it.
Overview
Korea's selection machinery is the status-of-stay (체류자격) system under the Immigration Act, administered by the Korea Immigration Service (KIS) within the Ministry of Justice; visas abroad are issued by MOFA missions, with most sponsored categories decided in Korea first through a Confirmation of Visa Issuance. The main skilled routes are: E-7 (specially designated activities) for sponsored professionals in roughly 87 designated occupations, requiring a relevant master's degree, a bachelor's plus one year's experience, or five years' experience, plus a GNI-linked minimum salary; D-8 corporate investment (KRW 100 million+ FDI under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act); D-10 job seeker for graduates and former professionals; and F-2-7, a points-tested residence status requiring 80 of 170 points across age, education, Korean ability (TOPIK or KIIP) and income. F-5 permanent residence (27 sub-categories) generally demands five years' stay, income measured against GNI benchmarks and Korean integration evidence; naturalisation under the Nationality Act adds the KINAT comprehensive evaluation. Verified against immigration.go.kr, hikorea.go.kr and visa.go.kr as of June 2026.
Main Routes at a Glance
| Status | Who it's for | Core test | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-7 (skilled work) | Sponsored professionals in ~87 designated occupations | Master's; or bachelor's + 1 yr experience; or 5 yrs experience — plus GNI-linked minimum salary (waivable if pay ≥ 3× GNI per capita) | F-2-7 or F-5 over time |
| D-8 (corporate investment) | Founders/executives of foreign-invested companies | KRW 100 million+ FDI notified under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act | Renewable; investor F-5 tracks |
| D-10 (job seeker) | Graduates of Korean universities, former E-series professionals | Points-scored job-seeking plan; six-month permits up to two years total | E-7 once hired |
| F-2-7 (points-based residence) | Skilled residents building toward PR | 80 of 170 points: age, education, Korean (TOPIK/KIIP), income, bonuses | F-5-16 after 3 years on F-2-7 |
| F-5 (permanent residence) | Long-stay residents — 27 sub-categories | Typically 5 years' stay + income vs GNI + KIIP/KIPRAT Korean evidence | Indefinite stay; naturalisation optional |
| F-6 (marriage migrant) | Spouses of Korean nationals | Genuine marriage, sponsor income, basic Korean communication evidence | F-5 / simplified naturalisation |
| E-9 (non-professional work) | Workers from Employment Permit System partner countries | EPS quota selection incl. EPS-TOPIK Korean test, run with the Ministry of Employment and Labor / HRD Korea | Sector-limited; skilled-worker (E-7-4) upgrade route |
| F-4 (overseas Koreans) | Former ROK nationals and persons of Korean descent | Lineage evidence under the Overseas Koreans Act; policy now sits with the Overseas Koreans Agency (est. June 2023) | Broad work rights; F-5 route |
The F-2-7 Points Test in Detail
- Pass mark: 80 points out of a maximum 170. The scoring table weights age (peak scores in the late 20s to early 30s), education (highest for a Korean doctorate), annual income earned in Korea, and Korean language ability.
- Language points: TOPIK and KIIP levels score equivalently on the main scale (about 3 points at level 1 rising to 20 at level 5), but completing KIIP level 5 adds a further bonus — and KIIP certificates do not expire, while a TOPIK result is valid only two years.
- Bonus and negative points: Korean degrees, study or work in Korea and in-demand qualifications add points; immigration violations and criminal records deduct points or disqualify outright.
- Why it matters: F-2-7 detaches residence from a single employer, allows most employment, and after three years opens F-5-16 permanent residence at a 1× GNI income standard — softer than the roughly 2× GNI test on the general F-5-1 track.
- Where the rules live: The current scoring notice is published by the Korea Immigration Service via hikorea.go.kr and immigration.go.kr; your jurisdictional immigration office assesses scores and evidence at change of status.
F-5 Permanent Residence and Naturalisation
- 27 sub-categories: F-5 is not one test — separate tracks exist for general long-stay residents (F-5-1), advanced-degree holders, investors, F-2-7 holders (F-5-16), and others, each with its own residence and income standard.
- The general track (F-5-1): Five or more years of lawful stay on qualifying statuses, income around double the previous-year GNI per capita (household income can be partly combined), basic Korean evidenced by completing the KIIP level 5 basic course or passing the permanent-residence comprehensive evaluation (KIPRAT), plus home-country and Korean criminal record checks.
- Softer income tracks: F-5-16 (from F-2-7) and the advanced-degree track work from a 1× GNI benchmark; asset evidence can substitute under some tracks.
- Naturalisation (Nationality Act, Ministry of Justice): General naturalisation requires five years' residence (shorter for marriage migrants and those with Korean parentage), the naturalisation comprehensive evaluation (KINAT) and an interview — the testing burden is waived for those who complete the KIIP level 5 intensive course and pass its evaluation. Korea restricts dual nationality for ordinary naturalisers, so many long-stay residents stop at F-5.
- Decision-maker: These are all Ministry of Justice decisions made through KIS offices; there is no separate points authority, though E-9 quota selection runs jointly with the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
How Selection Actually Runs — Sponsors, Confirmation Numbers and Quotas
- Sponsor-first for work visas: For E-7 and most employer routes, the Korean sponsor applies to the jurisdictional immigration office for a Confirmation of Visa Issuance; the worker then presents that confirmation number at a MOFA mission. The substantive decision happens in Korea — weak sponsor finances or a mismatch with the designated occupation list are the dominant refusal causes.
- Occupation lists move: The E-7 occupation list (~87 occupations across professional, semi-professional and skilled tiers, including the E-7-4 skilled-worker track for long-serving E-9 workers) is adjusted by Ministry of Justice notice as shortages shift — verify your occupation code is current before filing.
- Salary floors track GNI: E-7 minimum salaries are recalculated annually from previous-year GNI per capita figures, with a uniform standard across company sizes since April 2025; pay of 3× GNI or more can waive the education/experience requirements.
- Quota-managed routes: E-9 entries are selected through the Employment Permit System with annual quotas, sending-country MOUs and the EPS-TOPIK test; seasonal worker (E-8) and regional pilot schemes run on separate quotas.
- Integration is scored everywhere: KIIP participation feeds points into F-2-7, satisfies the language leg of F-5, and waives naturalisation testing — making the Ministry of Justice's own integration program the single most reusable credential in the system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the actual requirements for an E-7 work visa?
You need a Korean sponsor offering a job within one of the roughly 87 occupations designated by Ministry of Justice notice, and you must personally meet one of three thresholds: a master's degree (or higher) related to the role, a bachelor's degree plus at least one year of related experience, or five years of related experience without a degree. The job must also pay at least the GNI-linked minimum salary, recalculated annually; exceptionally high pay (3× GNI per capita or more) can waive the education and experience tests. The sponsor's financial standing and the occupation-code match are scrutinised closely.
How does the F-2-7 points system work and what score do I need?
You need 80 points out of a maximum 170. Points come from age (highest in your late 20s and early 30s), education (a Korean doctorate scores best), annual income earned in Korea, and Korean language ability, with bonuses for Korean study, in-demand qualifications and similar factors. Language points come from either TOPIK or KIIP at equivalent levels, but KIIP level 5 completion carries an extra bonus and never expires, whereas TOPIK results lapse after two years. Immigration violations and criminal records deduct points or disqualify. The current scoring notice is published on HiKorea and immigration.go.kr.
What does F-5 permanent residence require on the standard track?
On the general F-5-1 track: five or more years of continuous lawful stay on qualifying statuses, annual income around twice the previous year's GNI per capita (household income can be partly combined, but your own share must dominate), Korean ability shown by completing the KIIP level 5 basic course or passing the permanent-residence comprehensive evaluation (KIPRAT), and clean Korean and home-country criminal records. Softer income tests apply on other tracks — notably F-5-16, available after three years on F-2-7 at a 1× GNI standard, and the advanced-degree track. All 27 sub-categories are decided by your jurisdictional immigration office.
Is there a route if I graduate in Korea but don't have a job yet?
Yes — D-10 job seeker. It is issued in six-month increments up to a cumulative two years, on a points-scored assessment of your degree, age and job-seeking plan. Graduates of Korean universities are its main users, alongside former E-series professionals between jobs. While on D-10 you can do approved internships, and once you receive a qualifying offer you change status to E-7 in-country (KRW 100,000 fee) rather than leaving Korea. Korean study and work history also earn bonus points later under the F-2-7 points table.
Do I have to learn Korean to settle permanently?
Effectively yes, and the system tells you exactly how much. For F-2-7 points, TOPIK or KIIP levels convert directly into points (up to 20, plus a KIIP level 5 bonus). For F-5 permanent residence you must show KIIP level 5 basic-course completion or a KIPRAT pass. For naturalisation you face the KINAT comprehensive evaluation and an interview unless you completed the KIIP level 5 intensive course. The KIIP, run by the Ministry of Justice through socinet.go.kr, is therefore the most efficient credential: one ladder feeds points, PR and citizenship, and its certificates do not expire.
Who actually decides my application — the embassy or immigration in Korea?
The Korea Immigration Service (Ministry of Justice) is the deciding authority for status of stay. For sponsored work visas, your employer first obtains a Confirmation of Visa Issuance from the jurisdictional immigration office in Korea; the embassy or consulate then issues the visa against that confirmation, so the substantive decision has already happened in Korea. Direct consular applications (visit visas, some long-term categories) are decided by the mission under MOJ/MOFA guidelines. In-country changes of status, extensions, F-2-7 scoring, F-5 and naturalisation all run through KIS offices, with reservations and e-applications via HiKorea.