Hello, this is KOWORK, a foreign talent recruitment platform.
One of the most important things you must do after hiring a full-time foreign employee is changing their status of stay—i.e., obtaining a work visa. In many cases, this involves changing from D-10 (Job Seeker) to E-7 (Work Visa). To change the status of stay, an in-person visit to the immigration office is required. Today, we’ve put together a complete guide on how to visit immigration—especially for HR and company representatives.
1️⃣ Make an appointment
Although it is not mandatory for a company representative to accompany the employee for a status change, we strongly recommend it because there are many company documents to prepare. In order to visit immigration, an advance reservation through HiKorea is required.
- Go to www.hikorea.go.kr
- Click 민원신청 → 방문예약
- Fill out the application
- Find your jurisdiction (※ Select the immigration office based on the jurisdiction listed on the employee’s Alien Registration Card.)
- Choose a visit date and submit the reservation
2️⃣ Required documents
The most time-consuming and complicated part is preparing the documents. If the foreign employee brings all company documents, they may visit immigration alone. However, because many of the employer’s documents are sensitive, it is common to visit together with a company representative.
For the E-7 visa in particular, the top priority is whether the applicant’s major, work experience, and job duties align. That’s why it is crucial for the employer to write the Statement of Employment Reasons (고용사유서) carefully—it can have a major impact on the employee’s ability to stay in Korea. Even with thorough preparation, immigration may later request additional documents. Since each applicant’s situation can vary, HR staff may sometimes find it difficult to handle everything alone.
To help solve these challenges, KOWORK supports the entire process—from document preparation to the immigration visit—to assist with visa issuance. If you have any questions or need support, feel free to contact us. 😉
* The fee for changing the status of stay is KRW 100,000, and an additional KRW 35,000 applies if reissuance of the Alien Registration Card is required. Additional charges may apply.
3️⃣ What happens on the day of the visit
Even with a reservation, the waiting time can be long. If applicants need to prepare missing documents on-site and re-submit them, processing times for earlier reservations may take longer—leading to delays for others. We recommend keeping your schedule flexible for the day.
- Visit the Immigration Office on time for your reservation
- Pay the fee for the change of status at the counter
- Submit documents and answer brief questions
- Receive confirmation that the application has been accepted
4️⃣ Important notes after submission
Additional documents may be required during the review process. If so, immigration will contact you, so company representatives should continue monitoring the progress even after submission. When immigration requests supplementary documents, the review process is paused until they are submitted.
Before approval, the foreign employee may continue working only within the permitted scope of their current visa status. Approval typically takes around 2 weeks up to a maximum of 7 weeks, so it’s best to prepare thoroughly from the beginning to secure approval in one attempt without additional requests.
If you have more questions about hiring foreign talent, feel free to reach out anytime.
Any company representative can receive a free consultation.
