What requirements do I need to switch from E-9 to E-7-4 (Skilled Worker)?

To switch from E-9 to E-7-4, you must meet all the requirements for stay period, work conditions, income and Korean language, and score at least 200 out of 300 points on the points system. Check the standards below first.

Requirements checklist

• Stay period — You must be a registered foreigner who has stayed in Korea for a combined total of at least 4 years in the last 10 years under E-9, E-10 or H-2 status. Periods when you left Korea and came back are added together.
• Work — You must be working normally at your current workplace. You must have worked at that company for at least 1 year and received its recommendation.
• Annual salary and contract — You must sign an E-7-4 employment contract for at least 2 years from now, with an annual salary of at least 26,000,000 KRW (25,890,000 KRW for agriculture/livestock, and fishing/coastal merchant ships). The standard is the total amount paid, including base pay and allowances.
• Average annual income over the last 2 years — It must be at least 25,000,000 KRW (24,000,000 KRW for agriculture/livestock, and fishing/coastal merchant ships).
• Korean language — You need TOPIK Level 2 or higher, completion of Level 2 of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP), or a pre-test score of 41 or higher (placement in Level 3).
• Points system — You need at least 200 out of 300 points. You need at least 50 points each for income and for Korean language.
• Recommendation — You must get one of these: a company recommendation, a central government ministry recommendation, or a metropolitan or provincial government recommendation.

Good to know

• The points table has bonus points (recommendation, long service, a technician certificate or higher or a Korean university degree, a driver's license, etc.) and deductions (fine records, unpaid taxes, penalties for violating the Immigration Act, etc.).
• If you meet all requirements except Korean language, the Korean requirement is deferred until the first extension (2 years), on condition that you improve your Korean (until 2026.12.31). In this case, the total score standard is 150 points. If you do not meet the Korean requirement within 2 years, you cannot invite family, and you will only receive a 6-month stay period after that.
• If you moved because of a reason that is not the worker's fault, such as your previous workplace suspending or closing business, unpaid wages or violence, and you have proof, your work periods at the previous and current workplaces are added together.
• In principle, proof of income is the Certificate of Income Amount from the National Tax Service. If it is hard to prove the last 2 years because of a gap from re-entry or similar, you can substitute the 2 years with higher income between 2021 and 2025.

How to apply

• Application: Apply online through HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) e-civil service.
• Application day: Because of the 5-day rotation system, your day depends on the last digit of your birth year. 1 and 6 are Monday, 2 and 7 are Tuesday, 3 and 8 are Wednesday, 4 and 9 are Thursday, and 5 and 0 are Friday.
• Approval: Only a change of status is possible, not a new visa. It is approved for up to 2 years at a time.
• Fee: The general change of status fee (100,000 KRW) applies.
• Number of selections: In 2026, 33,000 people will be selected. Applications close when the quota is full.

The employing company must not have unpaid taxes (national tax, local tax, customs duties) and must follow the limit on the number of foreign workers it may employ. If you submit false documents, your visa applications may be restricted and you may face criminal punishment.

For parts that depend a lot on your personal situation, such as score calculation or the Korean language deferral, check finally with HiKorea or 1345, or get a consultation with the K-VISA AI administrative agent.