What can and can't I do with an E-10 Seafarer Employment visa?

With an E-10, you can only work as a crew member (deckhand or rating) on a ship. The work covers coastal vessel crew, crew on fishing boats of 20 tons or more, and crew on cruise ships of 2,000 tons or more. The longest stay period you get at one time is 3 years.

What you can do

• Coastal vessel crew (E-10-1): You sign a seafarer employment contract of 6 months or more with a coastal passenger or cargo transport company. You work as a crew member on a coastal merchant ship of 5 gross tons or more, not counting fishing boats.
• Fishing boat crew (E-10-2): You sign a contract of 6 months or more with a company that does set-net fishing, powered-vessel offshore fishing, or catch transport. You work as a crew member on a fishing boat of 20 tons or more.
• Cruise ship crew (E-10-3): You sign a contract of 6 months or more with a Korean-flagged cruise operator. You work as a crew member on an international cruise ship of 2,000 gross tons or more.
• Side work for fishing boat crew (E-10-2): With a "Permission for Activities Outside Status of Sojourn" (체류자격 외 활동 허가), you can do work linked to the catch, such as drying and packing fish, as Non-professional Employment (E-9) activity. Your original employer and the employer at the work site must be the same. The work must be done during the fishing season.

What you can't do

• Officers such as the captain, navigator, or chief engineer are not covered. Crew on regular passenger ships and similar are also not covered.
• Coastal and offshore fishing on fishing boats under 20 tons is not E-10. It falls under the Non-professional Employment (E-9-4) status.
• Ships under 5 gross tons, boats that only operate on lakes, rivers, or inside harbors, and barges that cannot move on their own are not covered as coastal vessels.
• Other work you have not been permitted to do, such as work in a land factory or restaurant, is not allowed. If you want to do it, first check with Immigration whether permission is needed.

⚠️ Things to note

E-10 is not under the Employment Permit System. The number of foreign seafarers is set by the Ministry of Justice after labor-management agreement and review by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Also, you can get the visa only with a Certificate of Visa Issuance Confirmation (사증발급인정서) issued by the head of the Immigration Office. You must submit a criminal record certificate and a health status confirmation form.

For the exact scope of allowed work, check once more at HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or the Immigration Contact Center (외국인종합안내센터, 1345).