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South Korea faces a serious healthcare and elderly care workforce shortage, creating real opportunities for foreign medical professionals. Doctors and specialists work under the Professional visa; nurses, physical therapists, and allied health professionals typically use ; researchers and clinical trial specialists use . Caregivers have a separate pathway under (social welfare sector). This guide maps every route with Korean licensing requirements and step-by-step application guidance.
Reviewed against
James Chae, 행정사 (Korean Licensed Administrative Attorney). License No. 220-06-06463 · 대한행정사회 (Korean Administrative Agents Association). Reviewed against the HiKorea 사증·체류업무 자격별 안내 매뉴얼 and cross-checked with Ministry of Justice issuances.
Last reviewed
April 22, 2026
Source references
Filing caution
Requirements can change by nationality, local immigration office, and filing channel. Confirm exact requirements with HiKorea, the responsible Korean consulate, or a licensed immigration specialist before filing.
E-5 (Professional) is Korea's visa for licensed professionals whose activities are regulated by Korean law. In the healthcare sector this covers: physicians (의사), dentists (치과의사), oriental medicine doctors (한의사, added October 2025 for foreign holders of equivalent qualifications), pharmacists (약사), and in some cases, specialists with a Korean-equivalent professional licence.
Key requirement: you must hold a Korean professional licence (국가면허), not merely a foreign licence. For foreign doctors, this means sitting and passing the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (한국의사국가시험) administered by the Korean Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute (KHPLEI). Passing this examination as a foreign medical school graduate is possible but requires document verification of your foreign degree by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Who typically qualifies: (1) Foreign doctors married to Korean nationals who plan to practice; (2) Ethnic Korean (F-4/F-5 holders) with foreign medical degrees who sit the Korean exam; (3) Specialists recruited by Korean medical institutions who are willing to complete the licensing process.
E-7 (Specific Activities) is the primary visa for foreign nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, dental hygienists, radiographers, clinical laboratory technicians, and other allied health professionals in Korea. The applicable E-7-1 occupation codes include: registered nurse (252.1), physical therapist (253.1), occupational therapist (253.2), dental hygienist (254.1), clinical laboratory technician (255.1), and radiographer (256.1).
Key nuance: Korean hospitals and care facilities hiring foreign nurses typically require a Korean nursing licence, which means passing the Korean Nursing Licensing Examination. Many Filipina nurses come to Korea specifically through this pathway. The process: (1) Pass Korean language test (TOPIK Level 3+ strongly recommended, often required); (2) Get your foreign nursing degree certified by the Korean Nursing Association; (3) Pass the Korean nursing board exam; (4) Secure employer sponsorship; (5) Apply for E-7.
Korea's expanding elderly care system has opened the E-9 (Non-Professional Employment — social welfare sector) to foreign caregivers. This pathway allows workers from EPS partner countries (including the Philippines since September 2024 for the domestic helper pilot) to work in nursing homes, elderly care centres, and disability support services. Requirements: pass EPS-TOPIK Korean test, secure placement through the official EPS channel via the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labour and your home country's sending agency. Note: as of 2025–2026, the caregiver sector is still being piloted and availability is limited — check the latest updates on HiKorea.
E-3 (Research) covers foreign researchers working at Korean hospitals' clinical trial units, pharmaceutical company R&D departments, medical device R&D labs, or government-funded biomedical research institutes (KCDC, KIST, KHIDI). Minimum qualification: master's degree in medicine, pharmacy, biology, or a related field, or equivalent research experience. requires employment at a qualified research institution. Universities' medical schools can also sponsor E-3 for post-doctoral researchers.
This is the most common question from foreign nurses, particularly Filipina nurses.
TOPIK Level 4+ is a significant differentiator for healthcare roles — clinical communication in Korean is often a practical prerequisite even when not formally required.
The Philippines and Korea have an MOU on healthcare worker deployment. Filipino nurses going through the official government-to-government programme (under POEA/DMW) get additional support.
Korean hospitals increasingly recruit foreign nurses for both inpatient care and international patient services (treating foreign medical tourists) — bilingual nurses in English/Korean are especially valued.
Clinical research organisations (CROs) operating in Korea (ICON, PRA, Parexel, Syneos Health) often recruit foreign clinical research associates (CRAs) on E-7 — relevant for nurses and pharmacists with clinical trial experience.
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Visa Process
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
The Alien Registration Card (ARC) is the official ID card issued to foreigners staying in South Korea for 91 days or longer. It is required to open a bank account, sign a phone contract, and access most public services.
Visa Process
HiKorea
How to use HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr) — Korea's official immigration portal for visa extensions, status changes, and ARC renewal. Processing time: 3-10 business days.
Visa Process
Visa Extension (Stay Period Extension)
A visa extension — officially called a 'stay period extension' (체류기간 연장) in Korean immigration law — allows a foreigner to legally remain in Korea beyond the expiry date on their current visa or ARC without leaving the country.
Visa Process
Status of Sojourn Change (체류자격 변경)
A status of sojourn change allows a foreigner already in South Korea to switch from one visa category to another without leaving the country — for example, from a D-2 student visa to an E-7 skilled worker visa upon graduation and employment.
Can foreign nurses work in Korea without a Korean nursing licence?
In most cases, no. Korean law requires nurses to hold a Korean nursing licence to practice clinical nursing. Some research or administrative roles at hospitals (clinical research coordinator, medical interpreter) may not require the nursing licence — but for hands-on patient care, the Korean licence is mandatory. The licensing process involves passing the Korean Nursing Board Examination, which is conducted entirely in Korean.
How long does it take to get a Korean nursing licence as a foreign nurse?
Allow 18–30 months from starting Korean language study to sitting the board exam. Typical breakdown: 12–18 months to reach TOPIK Level 3–4, 3–6 months for degree verification and application, and 1 examination per year (typically held in January). Many Filipino nurses begin studying Korean at nursing school specifically to target Korea employment.
Can foreign doctors practice medicine in Korea?
Foreign doctors can practice in Korea if they pass the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (한국의사국가시험). The exam is in Korean and covers Korean medical law and clinical standards. Very few foreign-trained doctors pursue this route due to the difficulty of the Korean language component. The most common cases are: Korean-Americans or overseas Koreans with foreign medical degrees who are motivated by strong Korean language ability, and foreign doctors married to Korean nationals.
Are there Korean hospitals that hire foreign-speaking nurses for international patient services?
Yes. Large university hospitals with international patient centres — Asan Medical Centre, Samsung Seoul Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Yonsei Severance, Korea University Anam Hospital — all hire bilingual nurses. Some positions for international patient coordination do not require a Korean nursing licence and may qualify under E-7 (medical services coordinator or interpreter category). Contact each hospital's international affairs office directly.
What is the salary for a foreign nurse in Korea?
Starting salaries for registered nurses at Korean tertiary hospitals are approximately ₩28–35M/year. With Korean language proficiency and specialisation, ₩40–55M is achievable. Nurses at international patient centres or research hospitals with bilingual skills often earn a premium. Note: these are gross figures before Korean income tax (6–45% progressive) and national health insurance deductions.
Written by James Chae — Co-Founder, Expert Sapiens
Platform expertise: Immigration consulting & visa services · Reviewed April 2026
