hello. If you’re reading this column right now, you’re probably researching the E7 4 visa.
Currently, the Korean government is increasing the number of foreign skilled workers to solve the labor shortage.
The korea government is supporting long-term visas for foreign workers, especially in rural areas.
This is especially active in the shipbuilding industry, which is considered to have a severe labor shortage.
I think Korea will continue to rely heavily on foreign labor in the future.
However, just because you want to hire foreign workers doesn’t mean you can do so at will.
Right now, there is a limit on the number of E7 4 visa workers that can be hired.
We’re going through a quota system by summing up the scores.
This year, we’re hiring a lot of people. According to the Ministry of Justice, they’re hiring 30,000 people.
The E7 visa is only available for a certain number of people every year, every quarter.
So when they announce that they’re hiring a lot of people, it’s a good idea to convert all the people who are available.
In this column, we’ll summarize the E74 visa.
If you have any questions after reading this column, please feel free to contact us through the following channels.
Requirements for foreign nationals applying for the E7 4 visa
To be eligible for the E74 visa, you must meet four requirements.
- you are a current registered alien who has been in E-9, E-10, or H-2 status for at least 4 years in the last 10 years and is actively working at your current place of employment.
This means you must be registered and lawfully working at your current employer at the time of filing.
Many employers fail at this point, so it’s important to keep this in mind.
- have an E7-4 employment contract with your current employer for at least the next two years with an annual salary of $26,000 or more
To qualify for E-7-4 status, you must have an employment contract with your employer for at least two years at the time of filing.
You will need to prepare documents accordingly when applying.
You must also have an employment contract with a salary of 26 million won or more.
However, the annual salary requirement is relaxed to 25 million won or more for those who work in agriculture, livestock, fishing, and inland navigation.
- Be recommended by a company where you have been working for at least one year.
Foreigners applying for an E7 4 visa must be recommended by their current employer for at least one year.
Employer recommendation is a mandatory requirement for E74 conversion, but it is a value-added item.
The nomination can be within the range of 20% of the number of permanent workers.
The foreign worker must be a national who has been listed on the Employment Insurance Register for at least 3 months meeting the minimum wage and has a residence status that allows them to work.
However, if human rights violations such as wage arrears, assault, or illegal employment of foreigners occur after the implementation of the program, the company will immediately lose the right to recommend and will not be allowed to recommend for the next five years.
- At least 200 points out of 300 points in the scoring system, including extra points
The average annual income for the last two years must be at least 25 million won, and Korean language proficiency must be TOPIK level 2 or social integration program level 2.
Be assigned to the 3rd stage of the pre-assessment for social integration program (41 points) or higher.
Meeting all four of these requirements is not an easy task.
In addition, the requirements of the employing organization are also checked separately, so it is difficult for the representative to check all of them.
Therefore, it is highly recommended that you seek the help of a professional who can communicate with the government in the language of administration.
Quota Types Explained
At the beginning of this column, you may have seen an image of the quota allocation.
Let’s explain a little more about quota types.
- Company-recommended individual track
This is the track with the most people assigned to it.
If you are nominated by a company where you have been working for at least one year, you can apply for an E7 4 visa without a central government or local government nomination, as long as you meet the transitional requirement score.
- Nomination quota
Applicants who have been employed by a company for at least one year and have a central government or local government recommendation can apply.
As you may have seen in the news, local governments are implementing visa conversion through referral quotas.
However, there is a restriction that you must maintain your residence (address) in the metropolitan municipality for at least two years after the E-7-4 conversion.
- Flexible quota
This is a quota set aside for flexible quota operations.
You can think of it as a quota that is set aside in case there is a need for additional allocations in the future.
The reason for the quotas is that the E7-4 visa conversion strategy may vary depending on the quota.
In order to make the most of the quota system, you need to make sure that your current situation matches the requirements of the quota.
Not only that, but you’ll also need to total up your points and prepare all the documents, so you’ll definitely need professional help.
We recommend that you consult with an expert who can help you clearly understand your situation.
Closing thoughts
In this article, we’ve summarized the E7 4 visa.
The E74 visa does not convert just because you meet the requirements for foreign labor.
The conditions of the employing organization must also be considered, and the points based on the points must be reviewed.
The success of the E7 4 visa depends on how well you fulfill the points, so you should take advantage of everything you can.
However, it may be difficult for you to keep up with all of this.
At Dongjul, we work with local Korean administrators to help you solve your visa and job problems.
If you have any questions after reading this column, please contact us through the contact form and we will be happy to help you.
Thank you.