How to Transition from D-2 Student Visa to E-7 Work Visa in Korea

In practice, the D-2 to E-7 transition often involves an intermediate step: the D-10 (구직 — job seeker) visa. After graduating, many students switch from D-2 to D-10 to give themselves time to find a job while remaining in Korea legally. Once you have a job offer and your employer is ready to sponsor you, you then change from D-10 to E-7. A graduate of a Korean university changing to D-10-1 for the first time is exempt from the points test and is granted 1 year. Extensions are assessed on points: the total D-10 stay can reach 3 years at most (1 year at a time) for a score of 80 or more, and is capped at 1 year in total (6 months at a time) for a score of 60–79. You can skip the D-10 step if you have a job offer ready at the time of graduation.

For the E-7 visa, your qualification must match the occupation code your employer is sponsoring you for. Most fresh graduates qualify under E-7-1 (professional) or in some cases E-7-3 (general skilled worker). Key eligibility points: with a bachelor's degree or higher from a Korean university you can be approved for a listed occupation regardless of your major, with the usual 1-year experience requirement waived, if the need for the hire is recognised; graduates of Korean junior colleges (전문대학) get the same waiver only for a job related to their major. Degrees from cyber, open or technical universities do not qualify for this special rule. Your Korean employer must be registered with immigration and must demonstrate they have tried to hire Korean nationals first (for some quota-limited occupations). The job must appear on the E-7 approved occupation list.

The E-7 transition is employer-driven — your Korean employer must file the visa sponsorship and provide substantial documentation. This includes: business registration certificate, recent tax payment proof (confirming the company is solvent), employment contract, and the employer's consent to the immigration process. Your employer's human resources or legal team should be familiar with this process. If they are not, recommend they consult an 행정사 — a poorly prepared employer application is the #1 cause of E-7 rejections for graduating students.

E-7-1 (professional) positions require an annual salary at or above the amount the Ministry of Justice announces each year: ₩31.12M for 1 February to 31 December 2026. Some occupations instead carry their own standard of 80% of the previous year's per capita GNI (₩52.57M for 2025). Only for those occupations can small and medium enterprises (SMEs), venture companies and mid-sized companies outside the capital area apply 70% of GNI, for up to 3 years, to a worker with no more than 3 years of E-7 history. E-7-3 (general skilled worker) positions require ₩25.89M or more in 2026, unless the occupation has its own standard — auto parts workers, for example, need 70% of GNI.