South Korea eases the path to its E-7-4 skilled worker visa

Long-serving foreign workers get a simpler route to stay in Korea

South Korea’s Ministry of Justice announced on October 22, 2026, that it will reform the E-7-4 skilled worker visa. The changes cut paperwork, reward workers who stay with one employer and set out a clearer path from entry-level work visas to permanent residency.

The E-7-4 visa lets foreign workers who entered Korea on the E-9 (Employment Permit System) or E-10 (seafarer) visa switch to skilled worker status after proving their Korean language ability, income and length of work or stay, according to the ministry’s press release.

What’s changing for E-7-4 applicants?

Fewer documents to extend a stay

The ministry plans to cut the documents needed to extend a stay from 12 or more to seven or fewer. It says the goal is to make the process easier to follow for both workers and employers.

An online visa guide on HiKorea

The ministry will pilot an online Employment Visa Guide through HiKorea, Korea’s official immigration portal. It’ll let users:

• Search for jobs allowed under the E-7 visa and check each one’s requirements, wage standards, hiring limits and documents
• Enter their education, experience and salary to see which work visa jobs they may qualify for
• Calculate their E-7-4 points and check whether they meet the pass mark
• Print a checklist of the documents needed for each application type

The guide won’t need a sign-up or any software. The ministry says it’s for reference only and has no legal effect. Immigration offices and Korean missions abroad still decide each application individually.

Rewards for staying with one employer

Workers who stay with the same employer for longer will get more bonus points toward E-7-4 eligibility, based on their length of service. They’ll also need less time in Korea before they can switch to F-2 residency status.

A clearer path to permanent residency

The ministry will issue an official notice setting out each step of the route: E-9 or E-10, then E-7-4, then F-2 residency, then F-5 permanent residency. It says this will help workers plan their future in Korea and help employers plan their hiring.

Why is South Korea making these changes?

Workers and employers found the process hard

In June 2026, the ministry surveyed 470 employers and 316 E-9 workers with the Korea Federation of SMEs and HRD Korea. Most were keen on the visa: 85.3% of employers and 81.3% of workers said they wanted workers to move to E-7-4.

But both groups named the same barriers. 53.5% of workers said getting the required Korean language score was their biggest difficulty. Employers most often pointed to complicated documents and procedures (30.1%).

The program has grown fast

The E-7-4 quota rose from 2,000 to 35,000 in September 2023. As of September 2026, 52,648 people held E-7-4 status in Korea.

Acting Justice Minister Lee Jin-su said the reforms aren’t meant to bring in more foreign workers. Instead, they aim to help workers who’ve already worked in Korea for a long time keep working steadily and settle in their communities.

What should workers know right now?

What hasn’t been announced yet?

The press release doesn’t give a start date for the new rules or the HiKorea pilot. It also doesn’t say how many bonus points long-serving workers will get or how much shorter the F-2 residency requirement will be. Until the ministry publishes those details, the current E-7-4 rules still apply.

Who can use the E-7-4 visa?

E-7-4 is a change of status inside Korea, not a visa you can apply for from abroad. It’s for foreign workers who are already in Korea on an eligible work visa. The ministry’s survey notes that the program currently only allows this in-country switch.

Where can I learn more about Korea’s other visas?

South Korea has also opened a digital nomad visa for remote workers. For short trips, see our South Korea travel guide for entry requirements.