What Is Certificate of Employment (재직증명서)?

For Korean immigration purposes, a Certificate of Employment (재직증명서) is issued by your employer's HR department or management and confirms that you are currently employed at the company, your position, start date, and often your salary. It must typically include the company's official stamp (법인 인감) and the employer's signature. For visa extension and status-change applications, this document confirms your eligibility to remain in your current sojourn status. Students may instead provide an Enrollment Certificate (재학증명서) from their school. The document must generally be dated within 30 days of your application. Some embassies require it to be notarized or apostilled for initial visa applications.

Korean immigration offices frequently reject applications with outdated, unstamped, or incomplete employment certificates. Check the exact format requirements for your visa category — what's acceptable for an E-4 extension may not satisfy E-7 requirements. If you are self-employed or running your own business, alternative documents (business registration certificate, tax returns) serve a similar function.