How to Transition from E-9 to E-7-4 Skilled Worker Status

E-7-4 is a sub-category of the E-7 (특정활동, designated activities) visa, designed for long-term foreign workers in manufacturing, agriculture, fishery, and food processing who have demonstrated sustained performance in Korea. Unlike professional E-7 categories that require academic qualifications, E-7-4 is based on a points system (K-Point) that rewards work experience, employer retention, Korean language ability, income, age, and education.

Once you hold E-7-4:

• You are no longer restricted to one employer and sector in the same way as E-9
• You can change workplaces more freely (with reporting requirements)
• After meeting long-term stay requirements, E-7-4 holders can apply for F-2 (long-term residency) and eventually F-5 (permanent residency)
• Family members may be eligible to join you on companion visas

To be considered for E-7-4, you must meet all of the following:

1. Prior work history: At least 4 years of legal stay in Korea on E-9, E-10, or H-2 status during the past 10 years, and currently employed at your registered employer.
2. Current employer tenure: You must have worked at your current employer for at least 1 year continuously.
3. Employment contract: A signed 2-year or longer E-7-4 employment contract (근로계약서) from your current employer.
4. Salary threshold: Annual salary of ₩26,000,000 or higher (₩25,000,000 for agriculture and fishery employers). This is based on the contract salary, not take-home pay after deductions.
5. Employer headcount limit: Your employer's E-7-4 workforce quota — the number of E-7-4 employees an employer can hire is limited. For most industries, the employer cannot have E-7-4 workers exceeding 20% of their insured Korean national employees. Verify this with your employer before applying.
6. K-Point score ≥ 200 out of 300: Calculated from the scoring table below.

Your total score must be 200 or higher. There are two mandatory minimum items — you must score points in both:

Mandatory items (both required):

• Average annual income ≥ ₩25,000,000 per year (over your qualifying E-9/H-2 period) → earns points in the income category
• TOPIK Level 2 or higher → earns points in the Korean language category

Note: The Korean language requirement (TOPIK Level 2+) is temporarily waived until December 31, 2026 for applicants who meet all other conditions. However, you still need to score ≥ 200 points overall.

Point categories:

Your current employer must issue a formal employer recommendation (고용주 추천서 or 고용주 확인서) as part of the application. This confirms:

• They are requesting that you specifically be selected for E-7-4
• They have offered you a 2-year (or longer) employment contract
• Your salary meets the ₩26M threshold
• The company's headcount allocation for E-7-4 workers permits this hire (within the 20% quota)

The recommendation letter must be on company letterhead, signed by the representative (대표이사), and include your name, employee ID, period of employment, and proposed E-7-4 position title.

If your employer is reluctant to provide the recommendation, this is a common barrier. Some employers are unfamiliar with the process or worry about administrative burden. Explain that E-7-4 benefits them too — it gives them access to a more stable, experienced worker without the constraints of the employer-binding rules.

Step 1 — Check your score. Calculate your K-Point score using the KIS online calculator (HiKorea). Confirm you are above 200.

Step 2 — Obtain your employer recommendation. Get the signed recommendation letter from your employer confirming the 2-year contract, salary ≥ ₩26M, and headcount availability.

Step 3 — Prepare your documents. See the document checklist below.

Step 4 — Apply online via HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr). Applications for E-7-4 are submitted online only — not in person at immigration offices. Log in with your alien registration number, navigate to the E-7-4 application page, upload all documents, and submit.

Step 5 — Birth-year rotation window. Applications are not open year-round to everyone simultaneously. KIS uses a birth-year 5-day rotation system (출생연도 순환 신청). For example: those born in years ending in 1 or 6 apply on day 1, those ending in 2 or 7 on day 2, etc. Check the KIS announcement for the exact schedule each intake cycle.

Step 6 — Selection results. KIS reviews applications and announces selection results. If selected, your employer receives notification and you can proceed with the formal status change.

Step 7 — Status change (체류자격 변경). After selection, visit the local immigration office with your employer to complete the formal change from to E-7-4. Your new ARC will reflect E-7-4 status.

Gather these before submitting on HiKorea:

• Application form (체류자격변경허가 신청서)
• Passport + current ARC
• Recent photo
• Employer recommendation letter (고용주 추천서)
• 2-year employment contract (근로계약서, salary ≥ ₩26M)
• Salary records: wage statements, bank deposits, or 원천징수영수증 for the qualifying period
• Proof of 4+ years E-9/H-2 history: entry/exit record from HiKorea or immigration certificate
• Korean language certificate: TOPIK score report (TOPIK Level 2+) — if applying before December 31, 2026 and relying on the language waiver, attach a waiver declaration instead
• Education certificate (if claiming education points): degree or graduation certificate
• Training/certification documents (if applicable)
• Employer's business registration certificate (사업자등록증 사본)
• Employer's national insurance enrollment certificate showing Korean employee headcount

Once you hold E-7-4:

• Stay period: Typically 1–3 years per grant, renewable
• Workplace changes: More flexible than — you can change employers within the same designated industry with prior KIS approval, rather than being fully tied to one employer
• Path to long-term residency: After accumulating sufficient time on E-7-4, you may qualify for (long-term resident) status, and eventually (permanent residency)
• Family reunification: Spouses and children may qualify for (companion) or other dependent statuses once you hold E-7-4

From 2026, KIS introduced a regional recommendation pathway within E-7-4, designated -4R. Under this variant:

• Your E-7-4 application is submitted through a regional government (광역자치단체) recommendation rather than the standard employer-direct route
• Regional residence obligation: After converting to -4R, you must continue to reside and work in the recommending region for at least 2 years post-conversion. Relocating out of the region within 2 years can jeopardise your status renewal
• This pathway is designed to address labor shortages in provinces outside Seoul — regions such as Gyeongnam, Jeonbuk, Chungnam, and Gangwon are the typical participating areas
• -4R holders who meet the 2-year regional residence requirement can then transition to standard E-7-4 status or proceed toward long-term residency

If you are indifferent to which Korean region you work in, -4R can open an additional quota path beyond the national E-7-4 allocation. If you are committed to working in Seoul or the capital region, the standard E-7-4 route is more appropriate.