What is “foreign worker”?

“Foreign worker” refers to a person who does not have the nationality of the Republic of Korea and provides or intends to provide work for the purpose of wages at a business or workplace located in the Republic of Korea. ).

Therefore, 'foreign nationals' (Article 2, subparagraph 1 of the 「Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans」) are those who have obtained permanent residency in a foreign country or who are residing in a foreign country for the purpose of permanent residence as a Korean citizen. no.

Employment of Foreign Workers and Status of Residence

Acquisition of status of residence that permits employment activities

In order for a foreigner to find a job in Korea, he or she must obtain a status of sojourn that allows employment activities in accordance with the 「Immigration Control Act」 (Article 18, Paragraph 1 of the 「Immigration Control Act」).

If a foreigner who does not have the status of residence to engage in employment activities finds employment, he/she will be punished by imprisonment for up to 3 years or a fine of up to 30 million won (Article 94, Subparagraph 8 of the 「Immigration Control Act」).

If you hire a foreigner who does not have the status of residence that allows you to engage in employment activities, or arrange or recommend the employment as a business, you will be punished by imprisonment for up to 3 years or a fine of up to 30 million won (「Immigration Control Act」 Article 94, Subparagraph 9 and No. 10).

Types of status of residence that permit employment activities

The status of residence for foreigners who can work in Korea is as follows. In this case, 'employment activities' refers to activities that fall within the scope of the relevant sojourn status (Regulations 「Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Control Act」 Article 23, Attached Table 1 and Attached Table 1-2).

Sojourn status

Persons eligible for sojourn status or scope of activities

1. Short-term employment (C-4)

A person who intends to engage in job hunting for a short period of time for the purpose of profit, such as temporary performance, advertisement/fashion model, lecture/lecture, research, technical guidance, etc.

2. Professor (E-1)

A foreigner who meets the qualifications under the Higher Education Act and intends to engage in education or research guidance activities in a specialized field at an educational institution higher than a junior college or an institution equivalent thereto

※ What are the qualifications under the Higher Education Act?

In accordance with Article 16 of the 「Higher Education Act」 and the attached table of 「Regulations on Professor Qualification Criteria, etc.」, the qualification standards and Matters concerning qualification recognition are stipulated.

3. Conversation Map (E-2)

A foreigner who meets the qualifications set by the Minister of Justice and intends to engage in foreign language conversation instruction at foreign language specialized academies, educational institutions of elementary school or higher, affiliated language research institutes, language training institutes affiliated with broadcasting companies and companies, and other institutions or organizations equivalent thereto

4. Research (E-3)

A person who is invited by a public institution or private organization in the Republic of Korea and intends to engage in research in the fields of natural science, social science, humanities, arts and sports, or research and development of advanced industrial technology at various research institutes [Those with the qualification of Professor (E-1) except]

5. Technical guidance (E-4)

A person who is invited by a public institution or private organization in the Republic of Korea to provide professional knowledge in the field of natural science or technology belonging to a special industrial field

6. Professional occupation (E-5)

Foreign lawyers, certified public accountants, doctors, or other persons with state-certified qualifications who are qualified under the laws of the Republic of Korea and who intend to engage in professional work such as law, accounting, and medical care, which are permitted under the laws of the Republic of Korea [ Excluding those who fall under Professor (E-1) qualifications]

7. Performing Arts (E-6)

A person who intends to engage in artistic activities such as music, fine arts, and literature for profit, and entertainment, performance, theater, athletics, advertisement, fashion model, and other similar activities for the purpose of profit

8. Specific activities (E-7)

A person who intends to engage in activities specially designated by the Minister of Justice in accordance with contracts with public institutions or private organizations in the Republic of Korea

※ For activities designated by the Minister of Justice, please refer to the Immigration Service website (www.immigration.go.kr).

9. Seasonal Work (E-8)

A person recognized by the Minister of Justice who intends to engage in employment activities in the fields of crop cultivation/harvesting/raw processing and fishery products raw processing

10. Non-professional Employment (E-9)

Those who meet the domestic employment requirements according to the 「Act on Foreign Workers’ Employment, Etc.」

11. Crew Employment (E-10)

A foreigner who has entered into a seafarer labor contract on the condition that the business provides labor for at least six months with the following persons, and a person who falls under subparagraph 6 of Article 2 of the 「Seafarers Act」

go. A person who runs a business pursuant to Article 3 Subparagraph 1, 2, 5 or Article 23 Subparagraph 1 of the Regulation 「Marine Transportation Act」

me. A person who runs a business under Article 8 (1) 1, 41 (1) or 57 (1) of the Regulations 「Fishing Industry Act」

all. As a national cruise operator pursuant to Subparagraph 7 of Article 2 of the 「Act on Fostering and Supporting the Cruise Industry」, manage business using international cruise ships pursuant to Subparagraph 4 of Article 2 of the 「Act on Fostering and Supporting the Cruise Industry」 person who does

12. Residence (F-2)

go. Foreign minor children of Korean nationals or spouses and minor children of persons with permanent residency (F-5) status of residence

me. A person who was born in a marital relationship with a citizen (including a de facto marital relationship) and is recognized by the Minister of Justice

all. A person who has been recognized as a refugee

la. Foreign investors, etc. under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act, who fall under any of the following

1) A foreigner who has invested more than USD 500,000 and has stayed for more than 3 years with a corporate investment (D-8) visa

2) An employee dispatched by a foreign corporation that has invested US$ 500,000 or more to a foreign-invested company in Korea under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act and who has been staying for more than 3 years

3) A foreigner who has invested more than USD 300,000 and employs two or more Koreans

mind. A person recognized by the Minister of Justice who has continuously stayed in the Republic of Korea for 5 years or more with a status of sojourn other than that of Diplomacy (A-1) to Agreement (A-3) and whose place of living is in Korea

bar. Non-professional Employment (E-9), Crew Employment (E-10), or Visiting Employment (H-2) visa holders who are engaged in employment activities and have been employed for a period of 4 years or more within the past 10 years with a sojourn status determined by the Minister of Justice A person who meets all of the following requirements among those who have been engaged in activities

1) Must have a technical/technical qualification as determined by the Minister of Justice or be paid a certain amount of wages or more in Korea

2) Must have assets greater than the amount determined by the Minister of Justice

3) As an adult in accordance with the Civil Act of the Republic of Korea, you must have good conduct and have the basic knowledge required to live in the Republic of Korea.

buy. A person whose age, educational background, income, etc., meets the standards determined and announced by the Minister of Justice

oh A foreigner recognized by the Minister of Justice as a person who has invested in assets such as real estate, or as an executive, shareholder, etc.

ruler. A person recognized by the Minister of Justice as having made a special contribution to the Republic of Korea or promoting the public interest

car. Spouses and children of persons falling under any of the above from G to J. (only for children who meet the requirements set by the Minister of Justice)

13. Overseas Koreans (F-4)

A person who corresponds to a foreign nationality Korean. However, any of the following cases are excluded.

go. In the case of simple labor

me. In the event of an act against good customs or other social order

all. Other cases where it is deemed necessary to restrict employment for the public interest or maintenance of order in domestic employment.

※ Koreans with foreign nationality

· A person who falls under any of the following (「Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans」 Article 2, Subparagraph 2 and 「Enforcement Decree of the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans」 Article 3).

1. A person who had the nationality of the Republic of Korea by birth (including Koreans who immigrated abroad before the establishment of the Korean government) and who acquired a foreign nationality

2. A person who has acquired foreign nationality as a direct descendant of a person falling under 1.

14. Marriage Immigration (F-6)

go. national spouse

me. A person recognized by the Minister of Justice as a parent raising a child born in a marital relationship with a citizen (including a de facto marital relationship)

all. A person recognized by the Minister of Justice as a person who is unable to maintain a normal marital relationship due to the death or disappearance of the spouse while staying in Korea while married to a national spouse, or other reasons for which he or she is not responsible

15. Tourism employment (H-1)

A citizen of a country that has signed an agreement or memorandum of understanding on “tourism employment” with the Republic of Korea, who intends to engage in tourism and employment activities (those who wish to work in a field that is contrary to the purpose of the agreement, etc., or that requires certain qualifications under domestic law) except for)

16. Working visit (H-2)

go. Persons with qualifications for sojourn: Foreign nationality Koreans (「Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans」 Article 2, Subparagraph 2), and among those aged 18 or older who fall under any of the following categories, within the scope of activities under Item B. A person who intends to stay in Korea and is recognized by the Minister of Justice [Excluding those who fall under the overseas Korean (F-4) status]

1) A person who was a citizen of the Republic of Korea at the time of birth and is registered in the Family Relations Register, Closed Register, or Exclusion Register, and their direct descendants

2) A citizen of the Republic of Korea with an address in Korea, a person who has been invited by a blood relative within the 8th degree or a relative within the 4th degree of a person who falls under No. 5 of Permanent Residence (F-5)

3) A person of national merit and his or her survivors (Article 4 of the 「Act on the Treatment and Support of Persons of National Merit」) or a person of national merit and their survivors or their family members (Article 4 of the 「Act on the Treatment and Support of Persons of Independence Merit」) person who does

4) A person who has made special contributions to the Republic of Korea or contributed to the promotion of the national interest of the Republic of Korea

5) Parents and spouses of those who are studying abroad (D-2) for more than one semester

6) A person who has voluntarily left the country in accordance with the standards and procedures set by the Minister of Justice to maintain order in the stay of foreigners in Korea

7) Those who do not fall under 1) to 6) and are selected through procedures such as Korean language test and lottery determined and announced by the Minister of Justice

me. scope of activity

1) Visits, temporary cohabitation with relatives, tourism, recuperation, field trips, friendly matches, non-profit cultural and artistic activities, meeting attendance, academic data collection, market research, business contacts, contracts, etc., or other activities for similar purposes

2) Activities in the following industrial fields according to the Korean Standard Industrial Classification prepared and announced by the Director of the National Statistical Office in accordance with Article 22 of the 「Statistics Act」

(1) Crop cultivation (011)

(2) Livestock (012)

(3) Crop cultivation and livestock related service business (014)

(4) Nearshore fishery (03112)

(5) Aquaculture (0321)

(6) Metal mining (06)

(7) Mining of non-metallic minerals excluding fuel (07)

(8) Bay salt production and rock salt collection business (07220)

(9) Mining support service (08)

(10) Manufacturing (10 - 34) (Limited to those employed by companies with less than 300 full-time workers or less than KRW 8 billion in capital)

(11) Sewage, wastewater and manure treatment business (37)

(12) Waste collection, transportation, treatment and raw material recycling (38)

(13) Construction industry (41 ~ 42) (Excluding those employed by industrial/environmental facility construction companies among construction companies at power plants, steel mills, and petrochemical construction sites)

(14)Land animals and pet wholesale business (46205)

(15) Other industrial agricultural products wholesale business (46209)

(16) Fruit wholesale business (46311) (limited to those employed at agricultural and fishery product distribution centers among agricultural and fishery product distribution centers in accordance with Article 51 of the 「Agricultural and Fishery Products Distribution and Price Stabilization Act」)

(17) Wholesale business of vegetables, vegetables, and spices (46312) (limited to those employed at agricultural and fishery product distribution centers among agricultural and fishery products distribution centers in accordance with Article 51 of the 「Agricultural and Fishery Products Distribution and Price Stabilization Act」)

(18) Household goods wholesale business (464)

(19) Wholesale business of mechanical equipment and related items (465)

(20) Collecting and selling materials for recycling (46791)