Every E-7 visa application in Korea requires the proposed salary to meet a minimum threshold set by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). These thresholds are updated annually, linked to Korea's per-capita Gross National Income (GNI). Submitting an employment contract with a salary below the minimum is one of the most common reasons E-7 applications are rejected. This guide covers the current wage requirements for every E-7 subtype.
Korea uses salary floors to protect both the foreign worker and the domestic labor market. The minimums ensure foreign skilled workers are paid comparably to Korean workers and are not exploited. They are reviewed and updated each year when the government publishes the new per-capita GNI figure. For 2025, Korea's per-capita GNI was approximately ₩42–43 million per year.
E-7-1 covers the highest-tier occupations — engineers, IT specialists, researchers, designers, finance professionals, legal and accounting roles, executives, and other professionals in recognized E-7 occupation codes.
Minimum salary: 80% of per-capita GNI per year
For 2025–2026 this is approximately ₩33–35 million/year (₩2.75–2.9M/month).
For occupations where the typical market salary is significantly higher (e.g. software engineers, doctors), simply meeting the minimum is not a red flag. However, some E-7-1 occupation codes specify a HIGHER minimum, often set at GNI per capita or above. Always check the specific occupation code's salary requirement in the MOJ's occupation list.
E-7-2 covers semi-professional roles that require specialized skills but not a 4-year degree — including hotel/tourism roles, certain artisans, and specialized technicians.
Minimum salary: Korean minimum wage or above
For 2025, this is ₩9,860/hour × 8 hours × 209 hours/month = approximately ₩2,060,740/month (≈₩24.7M/year).
Note that E-7-2 roles often have lower visa approval rates than E-7-1. Immigration scrutinizes whether the role genuinely requires a foreign worker and whether the salary is competitive.
E-7-3 covers a narrower set of skilled manual occupations — certain construction trades, food industry specialists, and other skilled labor categories.
Minimum salary: Korean minimum wage or above
Same minimum wage floor as E-7-2. However, E-7-3 employers face stricter requirements around company size and must demonstrate inability to fill the role domestically.
E-7-4 is the status change pathway for long-term E-9/E-10/H-2 workers who have accumulated 4+ years of experience and pass a skills evaluation.
Minimum salary: ₩26,000,000/year (approximately ₩2.17M/month)
For agricultural and fishery sector positions: ₩25,000,000/year.
Additionally, E-7-4 applicants need 80+ points on a skills evaluation matrix covering: years of experience, Korean language level, training certificates, age, employer recommendation, and attendance record.
2025–2026 annual quota: 33,000 E-7-4 visas.
For initial E-7 applications:
• The employment contract must clearly state the annual or monthly salary
• The stated salary must meet the applicable minimum for the subtype
• If the salary is only just meeting the minimum, immigration may scrutinize whether the role matches the occupation code
For E-7 extensions:
• You must submit an income certificate (소득금액증명원) from the National Tax Service (NTS)
• The prior year's actual income must meet the GNI threshold for your subtype
• If your actual income was below the threshold (e.g. due to a slow year or mid-year hire), immigration may refuse the extension
• Income documentation is verified against NTS records — mismatches between the contract salary and actual tax-reported income are a red flag
The Korean government publishes the previous year's per-capita GNI figure, typically in spring. The MOJ then updates E-7 salary minimums accordingly. Practically:
• 2023 per-capita GNI: ~₩41.6M → 80% = ~₩33.3M/year minimum (E-7-1)
• 2024 per-capita GNI: ~₩42.8M → 80% = ~₩34.2M/year minimum (E-7-1)
• 2025 per-capita GNI: ~₩43–44M (estimated) → ~₩34–35M minimum
The exact current thresholds are published by the Korea Immigration Service on HiKorea. Always check the current year's figure before submitting an application.
Certain E-7 occupation codes require the employer to obtain a 고용추천서 (employment recommendation letter) from the relevant line ministry before the immigration application can proceed. This is separate from the standard employer sponsorship and is an additional review step conducted by a central government ministry.
How it works:
GOLD CARD system (고용추천서 GOLD CARD):
The government operates a GOLD CARD designation for employers with consistently good compliance records. GOLD CARD employers benefit from expedited processing of the 고용추천서 — the ministry review is streamlined, reducing wait times significantly. Employers can apply for GOLD CARD status through the relevant ministry.
뿌리산업 (root industries) — MOTIE endorsement required:
뿌리산업 refers to foundational manufacturing sectors: casting (주조), forging (금형), welding (용접), heat treatment (열처리), surface treatment (도금/표면처리), and precision machining (소성가공). E-7 applications for roles in 뿌리산업 firms require a MOTIE (산업통상자원부) endorsement regardless of occupation code level.
Timeline impact:
Obtaining a 고용추천서 typically adds 2–4 weeks to the overall E-7 application timeline. Employers in industries requiring ministry endorsement should build this into their hiring timeline. If the 고용추천서 is missing from the application, immigration will return the file as incomplete.
Always include the full annual salary (not monthly) in your employment contract — immigration verifies against annual thresholds.
If salary is close to the minimum, a letter from the employer explaining the compensation structure (bonuses, benefits) helps.
For E-7 extensions, pull your NTS income certificate (소득금액증명원) at least a month in advance to check your declared income figure.
E-7-4 applicants: the ₩26M/year salary threshold is separate from the 80-point skills evaluation — you must meet both.
Salary in non-cash benefits (housing, meals, transport allowances) generally does not count toward the official GNI-linked salary minimum.
Need help with this?
Our specialists handle e-7 visa salary requirements in korea — gni thresholds, ministry pre-approval & gold card (2025–2026) cases regularly and know exactly what Korean immigration officers look for.
Find a SpecialistWhat is the current minimum salary for an E-7-1 visa application?
For 2025–2026, the E-7-1 minimum is approximately 80% of per-capita GNI per year — around ₩33–35 million/year depending on the exact GNI figure published for that year. Always verify the current threshold on HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or with the Korea Immigration Service, as the number updates annually.
Can bonuses count toward the E-7 salary minimum?
Generally, the salary minimum refers to the base contractual salary, not total compensation. Bonuses are discretionary and may not be recognized as part of the minimum. For extensions, the NTS income certificate reflects total declared income including bonuses, which can help if your base salary was close to the threshold.
My employer wants to pay slightly below the minimum. What should I do?
Do not accept a below-minimum salary for an E-7 application — the visa will likely be rejected when immigration reviews the contract. Negotiate the salary up to at least the minimum threshold before signing. If the employer cannot meet the minimum, you may need to look for a different employer.
What happens at extension if my income was below the minimum last year?
If your NTS income certificate shows income below the GNI-linked threshold for E-7-1 (or the relevant subtype minimum), immigration may reject your extension. You may need to provide explanations (mid-year start, medical leave, etc.) or consult an 행정사. In some cases a one-time exception is granted with documentation, but it is not guaranteed.
How many E-7-4 visas are approved per year?
The annual quota for E-7-4 (숙련기능인력) is set by the government each year. For 2025–2026, the quota is 33,000. Once the quota is filled, applications are deferred to the next quota period.
Does my E-7 application need a ministry recommendation letter (고용추천서)?
It depends on the occupation code. Certain E-7 occupation codes — particularly those in manufacturing, technology, and 뿌리산업 (root industries) — require the employer to obtain a 고용추천서 from the relevant line ministry before immigration will process the application. Check with the Korea Immigration Service or an 행정사 to confirm whether your specific occupation code requires one. If it does, allow 2–4 extra weeks in your timeline for the ministry review.
What is the GOLD CARD system for E-7 employers?
The GOLD CARD is a designation for Korean employers with a strong compliance track record who regularly hire E-7 workers. GOLD CARD employers receive expedited processing of the 고용추천서 (ministry endorsement step), reducing waiting time compared to standard applicants. Employers apply for GOLD CARD status through the relevant line ministry.