Changing Employers on a Korean Work Visa — Rules by Visa Type (E-2, E-7, E-9, H-2 & More)

Korean work visas fall into two groups:

1. Employer-bound visas — your visa is approved for a specific employer and job. Changing employers requires formal approval.
2. Free-to-work visas — you can work for any employer without individual approval, though notification may be required.

Most E-series work visas are employer-bound. F-series visas (F-2, F-4, F-5, F-6) and H-2 are generally free-to-work.

E-2 is tied to your specific sponsoring institution (school or hagwon). However, employer changes ARE allowed under these rules:

• Process: Submit a 'workplace change report' (근무처 변경신고) at immigration within 15 days of starting at the new employer • Requirements: New employment contract + new employer's business registration + updated health declaration • Key rule: E-2 uses an after-the-fact report: you may start at the new institution and must report within 15 days of the change. The report route is closed if you were dismissed or quit mid-contract through your own fault without your original employer's consent, or if you do not meet the qualifications for the new workplace • School restrictions: Some public school contracts and EPIK contracts explicitly prohibit mid-contract employer changes without release from the school

A workplace change report (신고) carries no fee. The ₩120,000 fee applies only where a workplace change or addition requires permission (허가).

E-7 is also employer-bound, but workplace changes are routinely allowed:

• Process: For most E-7 occupations, submit a workplace change report (근무처 변경신고) within 15 days of the change; there is no fee. Some occupations need permission before the move instead (근무처 변경허가, ₩120,000): mechanical engineers, draftspersons, overseas online sales staff, designers, sales clerks, chefs and cooks, customer service clerks, hotel receptionists, medical coordinators, aquaculture technicians, shipbuilding welders, ship electricians, ship painters, aircraft parts makers, power transmission electricians, auto parts makers, auto body and paint workers, slaughter workers, construction machinery parts makers, and all E-7-4 points-system workers. The report route is also closed to anyone dismissed or quitting mid-contract through their own fault without the original employer's consent • Requirements: New employment contract in E-7-eligible occupation + new employer documentation + ARC • Occupation must match: The new job must still fall under the same E-7 occupation code as your current visa. Changing to a completely different occupation typically requires a new E-7 application • Multiple employers: E-7 holders can add a second employer (추가 근무처) with immigration approval — useful for consultants or part-time academic roles

After the change, your E-7 validity period remains the same — the change of employer does not reset your stay duration.

E-9 is the most restrictive for employer changes. Workers are placed by the EPS system with a specific employer and sector:

• Standard rule: E-9 workers generally CANNOT freely change employers. Changes are allowed ONLY in specific circumstances:

• Employer closes down or cannot continue operations
• Worker experiences human rights violations (verified by MOEL)
• Employer violates the employment contract in a documented way
• After 3 years with one employer (and employer consent), a voluntary change is possible in limited cases

• Process for permitted changes: Apply through HRD Korea (한국산업인력공단). The employer change is managed by the EPS system, not directly at the immigration office

• Sector restriction: E-9 workers also cannot freely change sectors. A worker hired for agriculture cannot move to manufacturing without going through the EPS re-matching process

Working for an unapproved employer on E-9 is one of the most serious immigration violations for EPS workers and can result in deportation and a multi-year ban.

H-2 holders have the greatest employer flexibility among work visas:

• Change employers freely within permitted occupations — no pre-approval required • Notification required: Must notify immigration within 15 days of changing to a new employer • Occupation scope: H-2 work is defined by industry, not by a short list of jobs. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, manufacturing and construction are allowed where the Enforcement Decree lists them (manufacturing is limited to firms with fewer than 300 regular workers or capital of ₩8 billion or less, plus certain mid-sized root-industry firms outside the capital area). Service industries are allowed unless they are on the excluded list — education services and international organisations, for example, are excluded. The job must be with an employer that holds a special employment permit confirmation (특례고용가능확인). • Prohibited work: H-2 cannot be used for white-collar professional work (E-series occupations). If an H-2 holder wants to work in a professional role, they must change to E-7 or another appropriate visa.

H-2's flexibility is one of its main advantages, particularly for 고려인 (Koryo-saram) workers who may move between employers seasonally.

• E-3 (Research): Change allowed with workplace change report. New employer must be a research institution or company with a qualified research facility. • E-4 (Technology transfer): Similar to E-3 — employer change allowed with notification, new employer must be approved for technology transfer activities. • E-5 (Professional services): Employer change allowed with notification — common for doctors, lawyers, CPAs moving between hospitals, firms. • E-6 (Arts and entertainment): Change allowed with notification — performer must update to new promoter or venue operator.