What happens to my visa if I quit the company I worked for on an E-7?

Your visa does not end right away when you quit. But you must complete an immigration procedure before you start work at a new company. The E-7 lets you work only at the approved company and in the approved job type.

The procedure depends on why you left

• You worked until your contract ended, or your former company agreed → This is usually a 'workplace change report' (근무처 변경 신고). Report within 15 days after you move to the new company. There is no fee.
• Your former company closed or did not pay your wages → You do not need a consent letter from the former company. Instead, submit documents or a written statement that show the situation.
• You were dismissed for your own fault, or you quit midway and your former company does not agree → A report is not enough. You must get a 'workplace change permit' (근무처 변경 허가) before you move (120,000 KRW). You may also need to get a new certificate of visa issuance (사증발급인정서).
• Some job types need a permit → For jobs such as shipbuilding welder, cook, designer, and skilled worker (E-7-4), each company has a set limit on how many people it can hire. So you must get a separate 'workplace change or addition permit' (근무처 변경·추가 허가).

⚠️ Be careful about this

• If you work at a new company without a report or permit, it is illegal employment. You can be punished or ordered to leave Korea.
• If you do not work for a long time, it can become hard to extend your stay. If it is hard to find a new job right away, you can also change to a job-seeking (D-10) visa. The fee for a change of status of stay is 100,000 KRW.
• If the new company's pay is lower than the E-7 income standard, it can be a problem at your next extension. For E-7-1, the standard is 80% of gross national income (GNI) per person. Check this before you change companies.

Apply at the immigration office for your address or at HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr). If your case is complicated, for example you have a dismissal dispute or your former company will not give consent, try the K-VISA AI administrative agent consultation in the app's visa service. Check once more with HiKorea or 1345 whether your case needs a report or a permit.