Hello, this is Taegang Law Firm.
In order for a foreign national to legally engage in income-generating activities in Korea, they must hold either a work visa or a visa that permits employment activities.
If a foreigner engages in income-generating work without holding such a visa, it is considered illegal employment.
Illegal employment may result in fines and an entry ban, so great caution is advised.
💡 Work Visa Process
👱🏻 Foreigner
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering (4-year program in Korea)
- Experience: None
- Note: Currently residing in Korea under a D-10 (Job-Seeking) visa after graduating from a Korean university
🏢 Company
- Industry: Blockchain IT Technology
- Employees: 14 Korean nationals, 1 foreign national
🔖 Occupation Code: Application Software Developer (2223)
Among work visas, the E-7 visa has various qualification requirements depending on the applicant’s background.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, at least one of the general requirements must be met:
1. A master's degree or higher in a field related to the position
2. A bachelor’s degree in a related field + 1 year or more of relevant work experience
3. At least 5 years of work experience in a related field
In this case, the applicant did not meet any of the general requirements listed above. However, he qualified under a special provision:
holding a bachelor’s degree or higher from a Korean university, which allows exemption from the work experience requirement.
The company already had one foreign expert holding an E-7 visa, but fortunately, this did not violate the domestic employment protection ratio.
Companies that intend to hire or already employ multiple foreign nationals must always verify whether the foreign employment quota is within the allowed ratio based on the number of Korean employees.
