Employment Rules for Foreigners
Foreigners can only work in jobs that conform to their visa type. Working outside the scope of your visa is illegal and can result in deportation.
Check whether your visa permits employment at www.hikorea.go.kr or by calling 1345 (no area code needed, multilingual service).
Spousal visa holders (F-1-3 and F-2-1) may also work. F-5 (permanent resident) and F-6 (foreign spouse) holders have no employment restrictions.
Job Search Websites
- Seoul Global Center — global.seoul.go.kr
Job fairs, employment info in English and Chinese. Operated by Seoul Metropolitan Government. - Employment Permit System (EPS) — www.eps.go.kr
For E-9 and H-2 visa holders. Available in 20 languages including English, Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese. - Hi Korea — www.hikorea.go.kr
Government portal for all foreigner services including job search and visa applications. - Danuri — www.liveinkorea.kr
Information in 13 languages for marriage immigrants, workers, and students. Includes job seeking services. - WorkNet — www.work.go.kr
Korea's national job portal run by the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
Multicultural Family Helpline
Call 1577-1366 for consulting in 13 languages, available 24 hours a day. Covers employment, legal, and daily life issues for foreigners living in Korea.
Employment Permit System (E-9 Visa)
The Employment Permit System allows Korean employers to legally hire foreign workers in sectors with labor shortages, such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and fishing.
- Workers must pass the EPS-TOPIK (Korean language test) in their home country
- Employment contracts are typically for 1 year, renewable up to 3 years
- After leaving Korea, workers can re-enter through the system
- Foreign workers are protected by the same labor laws as Korean workers
If you experience unfair treatment at work, contact the Korea Support Center for Foreign Workers at 1644-0644 (multilingual).
Source: KOTRA 2019 Guide to Living in Korea. Policies may have changed — verify with official sources.