C-4-5 (Non-Seasonal Short-Term Employment) Korea Visa Guide | 2026

1. What C-4-5 Is

C-4-5 (계절근로 외 단기취업) is a short-term employment status of up to 90 days for paid activity that is not seasonal agriculture or fishery work. The manual's C-4 chapter lists the qualifying activity types as temporary performance (일시흥행), advertising and fashion work (광고·패션활동), lectures and talks (강의·강연), research and technical guidance (연구·기술지도), work under contract with a Korean public or private institution, and information-technology and other advanced-technology fields. Simple-labour occupations do not qualify for short-term employment status.

2. Eligibility Checklist

• Planned work is paid activity of 90 days or less that is NOT seasonal agriculture/fishery work (that is C-4-1~4).
• Activity falls within a C-4 listed type: temporary performance, advertising/fashion, lectures and talks, research and technical guidance, contracted work for a Korean institution, or IT/advanced-technology fields.
• The role is not a simple-labour occupation, which is excluded from short-term employment status.
• An employment contract and a recommendation or cooperation letter from the competent administrative agency can be produced, or the necessity of the employment can otherwise be evidenced.
• For advertising/fashion and performance work, the activity-specific recommendation and planning documents required by the manual are available.
• Nationals of designated countries (특정국가) are, as a rule, issued on a Certificate of Visa Eligibility.

3. Criteria Summary

• C-4-5 is not a points-based category.
• The dividing line that matters most is seasonal vs non-seasonal: seasonal work is C-4-1~4 and is applied for by the municipality, not by you.
• Lecture and talk work invited by a non-profit for academic or public-interest purposes can fall under a visa exemption — a short-stay status holder may do it without a C-4-5 visa, subject to caps on the number of institutions and on activity days. A for-profit company invitation does not qualify for that exemption and needs the visa.
• Officers assess whether the assignment is really regular employment that belongs under a long-stay work status.

4. Salary and Contract Rules

• C-4-5 is temporary activity status; it does not use long-term E-series salary logic.
• Where remuneration exists, contract structure must match permitted short-term scope.
• Inconsistent compensation or unclear role framing often triggers deeper scrutiny.
• If assignment resembles regular employment, a work-authorized long-stay status may be required.

5. Employer and Workplace Change Rules

• C-4-5 activity is tied to declared host/sponsor and approved short-term purpose.
• Material scope/location/role changes can require re-filing or additional approval.
• Unauthorized expansion of activity beyond declared scope can cause compliance action.
• Repeat-entry patterns may trigger reclassification scrutiny by consular/immigration officers.

6. Required Documents

• Visa application set (form, passport, photo, fee proof).
• Host/sponsor invitation and activity-purpose documentation.
• Assignment/contract evidence with period, scope, and compensation details where relevant.
• Financial support and return/onward travel evidence as required.
• Additional mission-specific documents requested by reviewing office.

7. Fees and Processing

• C-4 issuance fees follow official short-stay visa schedules.
• Processing time varies by case complexity and office workload.
• Category-fit ambiguity frequently causes supplement requests or reclassification concerns.
• Apply with enough buffer before activity start date.

8. Common Rejection Reasons

• Declared activity does not clearly fit C-4-5 permitted scope.
• Sponsor/host documents are weak, inconsistent, or unverifiable.
• Assignment appears to be regular employment requiring different status.
• Financial/return-intent evidence is insufficient for risk profile.
• Application based on outdated subtype interpretation after policy updates.

9. FAQ