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Detailed Guide to the E-7-2 Visa for Foreign Professionals Recruitment in 2026

Hello, this is Jobploy, a job search platform for foreigners.

The E-7 visa is a professional visa, ideal for bringing in highly skilled foreign talent or recruiting domestically trained D-10 professionals. The E-7 visa is divided into several categories: E-7-1, E-7-2, E-7-3, and E-7-4. Common regulations apply to each category, while regulations apply to each subcategory separately.

Please refer to the integrated guide below to check the integrated recruitment regulations for the E-7 visa.

👉🏻 Check the E-7 Integrated Guide

👉🏻 Check the changed wage requirements for E-7 visas in 2026


In this post, we will outline the qualification requirements and company standards for 10 E-7-2 occupations for semi-professional workers.



I. Office workers (5 occupations)

Office workers are mainly concentrated in specific regions (Jeju) or professional service fields.


Duty-free shop or Jeju Island sales clerk (31215)

Main duties: Sales and interpretation for foreigners (duty-free shops, Jeju English Education City, restaurants in Jeju)

Qualifications:

  • Duty Free Shop:
    • At least 3 years of experience as a tour guide or duty-free shop (exempt from experience requirement if graduated from a domestic technical college or higher or a 4-year university abroad)
  • Jeju Restaurants (one of the following):
    • Those who have completed TOPIK level 2 or higher or KIIP level 2 or higher
    • Completion of a regular course of at least 2 years at a domestic junior college or higher educational institution
    • Completion of a regular Korean language course (D-4-1) at a domestic university for at least 6 months + TOPIK Level 1 or higher
  • Commercial facilities in Jeju English Education City:
    • Parents of students attending international schools, family members of faculty and staff, and graduates of overseas schools aged 18 or older
    • Citizens of a country where English is the native language or holders of a TOEIC score of 800 or higher or TESOL certification

Business requirements: Duty-free shop (sales of KRW 240 million or more, area of ​​200㎡ or more), Jeju restaurant (sales of KRW 100 million or more, area of ​​100㎡ or more)

division Business area Annual sales Number of foreign nationals
Duty-free shops, duty-free sales outlets for foreign tourists More than 200 pyeong Annual sales of 240 million won or more Regular employment of two or more national employees
Restaurants in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province 100 pyeong or more (70 pyeong conditionally) Annual sales of 100 million won or more Regular employment of at least one national employee

Number of people allowed: For Jeju Island restaurants, the following criteria apply separately to the number of people allowed.

Business area Annual sales Number of foreign nationals Number of people allowed
70 pyeong or more More than 300 million 1 or more people 1 person
More than 100 pyeong Less than 100 million to 300 million 1 or more people 1 person
More than 100 pyeong 500 million to less than 1 billion 2 or more people 2 people
More than 100 pyeong More than 1 billion 3 or more people 3 people


Air Transport Clerk (31264)

Main duties: Airline reservations, ticketing, seat assignments, etc.

Qualifications: Master's degree or higher, or Bachelor's degree + 1 year of experience


Hotel Receptionist (3922)

Main duties: Hotel front desk reservations and guidance

Required: A letter of recommendation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is required.

Special requirements: Must meet the previous year's foreign guest ratio standards (30% in the metropolitan area, 15% in non-metropolitan areas, and 10% in areas with declining population)

Maximum number of guests allowed: 5 per hotel

Special treatment for international students: International students who graduated from a related department at a domestic university are granted E-7 visas regardless of the number of people allowed per company.


Medical Coordinator (S3922)

Main duties: Attracting foreign patients, making appointments, and providing interpretation services.

Required: A letter of recommendation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare is required.

Qualifications: Medical license holder, associate degree in a related field, or international medical tourism coordinator certification, etc.

Number of people allowed: * In case of designated childcare institutions, one additional person may be hired.

  • Childcare facilities: up to 2 people
  • Number of child care providers: 1 or less
  • If the number of foreign patients attracted in the past year exceeds 1,000, an additional person will be hired for every 1,000 foreign patients.


Customer Service Clerk (3991)

Main duties: Online consultation related to overseas sales and international services (AS, complaint handling, etc.)

Qualifications:

  • Applicants must have a domestic associate's degree or higher or a foreign bachelor's degree and at least one year of experience in the relevant field.
  • TOPIK level 2 or higher (KIIP level 2) or TOEIC score of 730 or higher

Company Requirements:

  • Services must be provided to citizens of foreign countries or services must be provided overseas from within the country in accordance with international service contracts.
  • Directly employed companies with 500 or more full-time employees and KRW 5 billion in sales (no outsourcing, no remote work)

Number of people allowed:

  • International service sales performance of KRW 5 billion or more but less than KRW 10 billion: Up to 40 people
  • Sales of KRW 10 billion or more: No personnel restrictions (however, within 70% of the workforce in the relevant field)

Wage requirements: Pay more than the average wage for domestic workers doing the same job.



II. Service Workers (5 occupations)

Service occupations, where on-site proficiency is crucial, have strict requirements for experience and certification.


Transportation Service Workers (431)

Target: International passenger ship/aircraft crew

Qualifications: Master's degree or higher, or Bachelor's degree + 1 year of experience (or 3 years or more of experience)


Tourist Interpreter Guide (43213)

Required: A letter of recommendation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is required.

Qualifications:

  • Master's degree or higher
  • Bachelor's degree in Korean studies from a foreign university + at least 1 year of experience
  • Graduates of tourism or history departments from domestic universities
  • Graduates of junior colleges or higher who have obtained domestic tour guide interpreter qualifications

Number of people allowed per company:

  • Basic maximum of 2 people
  • If the number of foreign tourists attracted exceeds 2,000, one additional person may be hired for every 2,000 foreign tourists.


Casino Dealer (43291)

Qualifications: 5 years or more of experience required

Required: A letter of recommendation from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is required.


Chefs and Cooks (441)

Target: Chinese, Japanese, Western, and other national cuisines (excluding Korean, snacks, and coffee)

Qualifications:

  • Winners of internationally recognized domestic and international cooking competitions * Proof of award history requires Apostille verification or consular verification
  • Holders of overseas qualifications, education, and experience
    • Intermediate or higher level qualification (China: Level 1-2, Taiwan: Level A) - Exempt from experience requirement
    • Entry-level qualification (China: Level 3-4, Taiwan: Level B, Level C) - 3 years or more of experience
    • Applicants who have completed training for more than 6 months and have more than 5 years of experience
    • Other (excluding Chinese, Japanese, and Western cuisine) - Local cuisine - 10 years or more of experience
  • Domestic education + qualifications, experience holders
    • Bachelor's or Master's degree or higher: Any major + a culinary-related qualification or higher + 2 years of experience (however, exemption applies if the domestic education period is 2 years or more)
    • Associate's degree: Degree in a related field + qualification as a culinary technician or higher + 2 years of experience (exempt if domestic education period is 2 years or more)
    • Private institution training: Training in a related field (D-4-6) + qualification as a culinary technician or higher + 2 years of experience (Experience exemption upon completion of 20 months or more of training in a related field with a D-4-6 visa)
    • Restrictions: Does not apply to trainees majoring in Korean cuisine or those who have obtained Korean cuisine chef certification.

Company requirements

division Business area Annual VAT Number of domestic personnel
Chinese restaurant More than 200 pyeong 5 million won or more 3 people
General restaurant 60 pyeong or more 3 million won or more 2 people
Restaurants within the regulated special zone 30 pyeong or more More than 2 million won 1~2 people (applies only to areas of 151 pyeong or more and VAT of 7.5 million won or more)



Nursing care worker (42111)

Qualifications: Associate's degree from a domestic university or higher + nursing assistant certification + TOPIK level 3 or higher

Workplace: Elderly medical welfare facility (long-term care facility)

Allowable number of employees: within 20% of national employment



The E-7-2 visa is much more stringent than the E-7-1 visa for general professionals, scrutinizing on-site skills and company qualifications. In particular, there are numerous requirements requiring proof of numerical values, such as area, sales, and number of domestic employees. Even a small mistake in the documentation process can result in a denial.

If you're an employer or a foreign talent struggling with complex visa regulations, don't worry alone. Jobploy's visa & administrative experts will provide you with the best strategy for your situation.

We will be your reliable partner for your successful life and business in Korea.

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