Work Visa
in South Korea.

SALARY PAYMENT IN South Korean won (KRW, ₩)

CONTRACT LANGUAGES Korean / English

PAYROLL TAX 16.43% – 34.94%

PAYROLL CYCLE Monthly

TIME TO HIRE 24 hours
Get Started

Horizons-owned entity with local country experts in Seoul.

We offer fair, scalable, and transparent pricing on South Korea PEO service. Contact us for a cost breakdown

End service in South Korea with no additional penalties or fees.

Including vision, dental, death & disability, travel, and more.

Hire and pay talents
with Horizons in
180+ countries

Get started

South Korea

Types of work visas in South Korea

Work visas in South Korea fall into three broad categories: Professional, Non-professional, and Business visas.

Professional

C-4 Short-Term Employee Visa – Individuals who plan to work for less than 90 days must apply for a special visa regardless of the type of employment visa for which they are applying.
D-10-1 Job Seeker Visa – Individuals who wish to work in South Korea in one of the following professional visa categories must apply for this visa.
E-1 Professor Visa – Foreigners who want to conduct research or give lectures at a higher education level are issued this visa. It is valid for one year and allows multiple entries into the country. This visa can be extended for one year at a time.
E-2 Foreign Language Instructor Visa – This visa is issued to those who will teach a foreign language at schools or organizations. The visa is valid for two years and can be renewed after the two-year period ends.
E-3 Researcher Visa – This visa is issued to individuals who seek to conduct research related to natural sciences or advanced technology. It is only issued if an institution in South Korea invites the applicant. The period of validity is one year with a multiple entries available. the E-3 Research Visa can be extended for up to one year at a time.
E-4 Technical Instructor or Technician Visa – This visa is issued to experts in the field of science and technology who wish to work in their field of expertise in South Korea. This visa is only available by invitation by a South Korean institution (company, research facility, etc.). There are single-and-multiple-entry visas issued, and extension is possible for this visa type.
E-5 Professional Visa – This visa is issued to foreign-nationals who will practice law, accounting, medicine, or other specific professional activities in South Korea. Those who apply must be licensed internationally and in possession of a South Korean national certificate to practice in the country.

Non-professional visas (available for the following sectors)

E-9-Manufacturing
E-9-2 Construction
E-9-3 Agriculture
E-9-4 Fishery
E-9-5 Service
E-10 Coastal Crew
F-1 Household Assistant

Business

D-7 Intra Company Transfer Visa – This visa is for employees of a multi-national corporation who have been transferred to work in South Korea. An employee working for a non-Korean MNC will be issued the D-7-1 Visa; an employee of a Korean company who was previously working abroad will be issued a D-7-2 Visa.
D-8 Business Investment Visa – This visa is for business people who plan to engage in setting up or investing in a South Korean business.
C-3-4 Business Visitor Visa – This visa is for those who will conduct meetings, market research, or take part in negotiations. This visa is only for short-term visits.

Foreigners who will live in South Korea for 6+ months must apply for an “Alien Registration Card” (ARC). Foreign-nationals must apply for this card within 90 days of arriving in South Korea. The ARC helps facilitate essential services for foreign-nationals in South Korea. Services such as banking, medical insurance, internet, and more are not available to foreign-nationals without a valid ARC.

Required documents for a work visa in South Korea

The following documents are required to apply for a work visa in South Korea;

Completed visa application form.
Passport with validity for the next six months and blank pages for visa stamps.
Copy of the passport.
Passport-sized photographs taken within the last three months.
Professional and educational certificates.
Employment contract with the local South Korean company.
Business registration license (in some visa applications, depending on the type).
Tax returns and financial payments of the company in the previous financial year.
Sponsor letter from a South Korean organization.
Application fee.

Process to get a work visa in South Korea

Getting a work visa when the employee is based outside of South Korea

Applying for a South Korean work permit can be done both online and offline. The follow steps are typical when applying for a South Korea visa.

Submit an E-visa application through the visa portal.
Submit application from a foreign South Korean diplomatic mission.
Receive a confirmation of the visa on the portal.
Receive a confirmation of the visa at a South Korean immigration office

Often, the employee’s job type is the determining factor for how the application should be submitted. For any work visa in South Korea, there must be a Korean entity as the sponsor for the foreign employee.

Getting a work visa when the employee is based inside of South Korea

Typically, any employee on a Non-Professional visa is not permitted to change his or her work location; however, in some extreme circumstances (related to the closing of a company, the cessation of business, or non-payment of wages), an employee on a Non-Professional visa can petition the Korean government for permission to accept a new role.

For professional roles, it is possible to transfer employer; however, like in much of Asia it is important for the employee to maintain a good relationship with their previous employer, since a release letter would be required. Here is an example of a basic employer transfer document, but keep in mind these documents are subject to change annually or sometimes more often. Contact your South Korean immigration contact (or South Korean EOR) for more information regarding your specific case.

Special notes about work visas in South Korea

Employees may bring their spouses or dependent children when hiring in South Korea.

Note, however, that there is an extra step in that you must apply for a visa for your spouse and each child separately. The F-3 Visa is specifically for dependent family members, and can be renewed annually to a maximum length of the employee’s visa duration. Other, non-dependent family members can apply for a visa type F-1, valid for 30 days, once per year.

Hiring in South Korea, Made Easy

Your business can easily hire employees in South Korea without opening a local entity. We handle local employment law, complex tax regulations, and international payroll in 180+ countries worldwide. All you need to do is focus on your business.

FAQs

Can South Korea work visa holders bring their family members?

Typically, yes, South Korean visa holders (“employees”) are allowed to bring their dependent spouse and unmarried children to Korea, provided the employee applies for the F-3 Visa for each of the dependents who will come with them to Korea.

Each mobility case is different, so we encourage you to contact us for a free global mobility consultation to ensure the current visa application environment is suitable for your company’s* specific project.

*For individuals who are contacting us to inquire about visas, employment opportunities, etc., you should apply for a role at our Careers page.

How long can I stay in South Korea on a work visa?

The South Korean work visa must be renewed in 1 – 3 year intervals. Many South Korean work permits are multi-entry, but the exact requirements depend on several factors, including the nationality of the applicant, the type of work visa the employee holds, and more. When we review your company’s case, we will be able to offer an estimation of the timeline with confidence.

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

"As a seed-stage, London-based startup, we were initially hesitant to expand internationally due to the administrative workload involved. Horizons completely took the headache out of the process, allowing us to hire a team of software engineers in Germany."

Gabor SzedlakCo-founder & COO

"I truly appreciated the thoroughness and the professionalism of Horizons personnel while we hired internationally with them. When they advised our international expansion, they spoke confidently and were knowledgable on all subject matters pertaining to international employment."

Gary PaskyVice President of Software Development

"On deciding to begin commercial activities in Asia Pacific, we needed a provider to handle the employment and remuneration of our workforce. With Horizons the result was fast, efficient, and fit-for-purpose. We recommend Horizons as an EOR provider.”

Chris MorrellManaging Director

"The collaboration with the Horizons team is excellent. Both our local employee as well as our HQ in Germany are more than pleased with the support provided and the simplicity of the service. We can highly recommend the Horizons solution to anyone."

Christoph EngelbertCo-Founder & CTO

"We needed an EOR that could provide expert support for payroll in APAC. We are pleased with Horizons’ expertise and the fact that they are flexible, responsive, and easily accessible from Belgium. They were able to provide services within the short timeline we required."

Katia FlamandHuman Resources

Horizons has been very effective in providing our company support in all the administrative procedures, sometimes complex, required by the Singaporean administration.

Gerald iannoneSales Director

Horizons’ team provided a superb service from start to finish, making a complex process a simple one. Everything was taken care of in an efficient and accurate manner, with quick communication whenever required. Highly recommended and would use again in the future if the need arises.

Philipp RinbergerManaging Director