印 Visa Guides

E-7-4

Skilled Worker (Points-Based / K-point E74)

숙련기능인력(점수제) — E-7-4 Skilled Worker (Points-Based)

● Active Category E

Last updated 2026-07-04 · Official Korean government sources

Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change — always confirm on the official sources for your country.

At a glance

Who it's for

Foreign workers already in Korea who worked legally for 5+ years within the last 10 years on an E-9 (non-professional employment), E-10 (crew/seafarer), or H-2…

Length of stay

Change of status grants up to 2 years per period, within the employment-contract term; renewable. (E-7-4 is a status change, not a new visa.)

Can you work?

Yes. E-7-4 is a work visa for skilled functional (기능) jobs in designated fields such as manufacturing, construction, and agriculture/livestock/fishery.

Korean needed?

Minimum TOPIK level 2 (or KIIP level 2 completion / KIIP pre-assessment level-3 placement, 41+).

Fee & time

Fee: 130000

Leads to

E-7-4→F-2-7 points-based residence→F-5 permanent residence

Who can apply

✓Foreign workers already in Korea who worked legally for 5+ years within the last 10 years on an E-9 (non-professional employment), E-10 (crew/seafarer), or H-2 (work-and-visit) visa.
✓A shorter 4-year work history can qualify if you also completed Stage 3 or higher of the Social Integration Program (KIIP).
✓You must reach the required K-point score.
✓Excluded: people with a criminal record, unpaid taxes (you can apply once taxes are fully paid), 4+ violations of the Immigration Act, or 3+ months of past illegal stay.

Documents you'll need

Application for change of status (integrated form)
passport and alien registration card
documents proving 5+ years (or 4 years + KIIP Stage 3) of legal work
employer’s recommendation and business documents
proof of income / tax payment records
proof of Korean ability (TOPIK certificate or Social Integration Program completion)
K-point self-scoring sheet with supporting evidence

How to apply

Domestic change-of-status at an immigration office (국내 체류자격변경) — for foreign workers already in Korea on E-9, E-10 or H-2 who meet the work-history and points requirements.
In-Korea change of status ONLY (not issued as a new overseas visa).
File via HiKorea e-application (전자민원) online (5-day rotation by birth-year last digit). 2026 application window: continuous from 2026-03-01 until the quota fills (approx. to 12-31).
Enforced from 2026-03-01.
Employer’s Employment-Ministry recommendation route applies for 2026-03-09 to 12-25.

Stay & extension

How long you can stay

Change of status grants up to 2 years per period, within the employment-contract term; renewable. (E-7-4 is a status change, not a new visa.)

Extending your stay

Extend at HiKorea / local immigration office before expiry while you remain employed and keep meeting the conditions. Job changes are allowed under the current rules, which supports continued extension and settlement.

Working on this visa

Yes.
E-7-4 is a work visa for skilled functional (기능) jobs in designated fields such as manufacturing, construction, and agriculture/livestock/fishery.
Employer hiring caps apply by industry and company size.
Changing employer is permitted under current rules.

Requirements in detail

Korean language

Minimum TOPIK level 2 (or KIIP level 2 completion / KIIP pre-assessment level-3 placement, 41+). Temporarily WAIVED until 2026-12-31 if the applicant scores 150+ total without the Korean item (must satisfy it by the first 2-year extension; failing that, only a 6-month extension is granted).

Family invitation is allowed only after the Korean requirement is met.

Money to show

Annual salary >= KRW 26,000,000 for a 2+ year E-7-4 employment contract (agriculture/livestock and fishery/coastal-shipping: >= KRW 25,000,000). Separately, the points-table ‘average income’ basic item requires a 2-year average income >= KRW 25,000,000 (>= KRW 24,000,000 for agri/fishery).

Source: MOJ (법무부) K-point E74 (2026).

Annual quota

2026 K-point E74 selection: 33,000 total = employer-recommendation individual track 12,000 + central-ministry recommendation 6,300 (MOEL manufacturing 2,000; MOTIE root-industry 1,100; MAFRA agri/livestock 900; MOTIE shipbuilding 600; MOF fishery/coastal-shipping 500; MOLIT construction 200; MSS manufacturing 1,000) + 17 metropolitan/provincial governments 8,500 + flexible reserve 6,200.

Points system

K-point E74 (2026): scored out of 300 points; PASS = 200+ points INCLUDING bonus, AND at least 50 points each in the two basic items (average income & Korean ability). Basic items — Average income (max 120): 2-yr average income 25-30M KRW=50pts, 30-35M=65, 35-40M=80, 40-45M=95, 45-50M=110, 50M+=120.

Korean ability (max 120): TOPIK2/KIIP2/pre-assess 41-60=50, TOPIK3/KIIP3/61-80=80, TOPIK4+/KIIP4+/81+=120. Age (max 60): 19-26=40, 27-33=60, 34-40=30, 41+=10.

Bonus (stackable): recommendation (central ministry 30 / metro-gov 30 / employer 50), 3+ yrs at current workplace 20, 3+ yrs in depopulation or eup/myeon area 20, national technical license or Korean degree 20, Korean driver’s license (class 2+) 10. Deductions up to 50 (minor fines, tax arrears, immigration violations).

Ministry endorsement

Employer/company recommendation (고용기업 추천) is MANDATORY (and a bonus item). Central-ministry recommendation (e.g.

MOEL for manufacturing, MOTIE root-industry/shipbuilding, MAFRA agri, MOF fishery, MOLIT construction, MSS manufacturing) or metropolitan-government recommendation is optional and adds bonus points.

Waivers / special

Requires 5 years of qualifying work history in Korea on E-9/E-10/H-2; 4 years accepted if the applicant has completed Social Integration Program (KIIP) Level 3 or above.

Sub-types

E-7-4skilled worker (숙련기능인력), points-based

E-7-4Rre-entry (재입국) track for former E-7-4 holders (unverified). Distinct from the professional parent codes E-7-1/E-7-2/E-7-3 and from E-7-M (K-CORE).

Family

E-7 family generally accompany on F-3; E-7-4 dependents reportedly assigned F-1 (visiting/joining family) (unverified).

Mobile ARC

Mobile Residence Card (외국인등록증) available since 2025-01-10 to registered foreign residents aged 14+ with a smartphone in their own name (IC-chip card required); same legal effect as the physical card. Applies to registered E-7-4 holders.

2025–2026 policy updates

K-point E74 ‘Innovative Expansion of the Skilled Worker Points System’ raised the annual selection ceiling from about 2,000 to 35,000 people, in force since 2023-09-25 (official; continued into 2025-2026).
From 2025 the program shifted from quarterly rounds to year-round (continuous) applications, employer changes are allowed, and reports indicate the Korean-language requirement was relaxed (relaxed level unverified).
NEW regional track E-7-4R (지역특화 숙련기능인력) under the 2025 Regional-Specialized Visa Operation Plan (announced 2025-02-20): E-9/E-10 holders with 2+ years of stay who meet the E-7-4 point requirements can convert to E-7-4R, with extra points for those working in depopulation / depopulation-concern areas (인구감소지역·관심지역).
After 3+ years in such areas, E-7-4R holders can move to F-2-R (regional outstanding talent).

Common mistakes

Assuming E-7-4 is an overseas visa — it is an in-Korea status change for E-9/E-10/H-2 workers.
Underestimating the Korean-language requirement.
Not fixing unpaid taxes or immigration-law violations before applying.
Confusing the standard E-7-4 with the regional E-7-4R (different work-history threshold and region rules).
Assuming the 35,000 quota guarantees selection — selection is by K-point ranking within the quota.

Where this leads

E-7-4→F-2-7 points-based residence→F-5 permanent residence

Regional track: E-7-4R→F-2-R→F-5

Official source ↗ Official manual ↗

If you break the rules: Overstaying or illegal work leads to fines, deportation and re-entry bans (출입국관리법); also disqualifies from E-7-4 selection — applicants with 3+ months of illegal overstay, 4+ immigration-law violations, unpaid taxes or criminal records are excluded.

Get visa updates by email

Join GoKorea Insider for clear updates on visas and key dates.

Join Insider — Free