Don’t Get Rejected: The Complete E-7-4 Application Document Checklist (2026)

The most common reason E-7-4 applications get rejected or delayed is not the score — it’s missing or incorrectly prepared documents. The E-7-4 application requires documents from both the applicant and the employer, and a single missing item can send your application back to square one.

This guide lists every document required for the 2026 E-7-4 status change application, based directly on the official March 2026 immigration manual. Both the applicant checklist and the employer checklist are covered, with practical notes on what each document actually is and where to get it.

1. Document Overview

The E-7-4 document set is divided into three categories: mandatory documents that every applicant must submit, additional documents for those claiming bonus points, and industry-specific documents depending on your sector.

2. Applicant: Mandatory Documents

• 1
  Applicant

  Integrated Application Form + Passport Copy

  통합신청서 (별지 34호 서식) with a copy of your passport’s personal information page. Download the current version of the application form from HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) — do not use an old version. The form must be filled out completely in Korean or English.

• 2
  Applicant Self-written

  K-Point Self-Assessment Form (점수제 자체 심사표)

  붙임7 양식 — you fill this out yourself, calculating your own K-Point score across all categories (income, Korean, age, bonuses, deductions). This is the document where you declare your score and attach supporting evidence for each item. Must be signed with the date of submission. Do not inflate scores — false declarations carry legal penalties.

• 3
  Applicant Self-written

  Personal Background Statement (신상 기술서)

  붙임8 양식 — a personal statement form that you fill out yourself, covering your educational background, marital status, family information, and family members currently in Korea (including past stays). Must be signed. Truthful and complete disclosure of family information is required — omissions can constitute a false declaration.

• 4
  Applicant Key document

  Standard Employment Contract (표준근로계약서) — E-7-4 version

  A new employment contract specifically for E-7-4 status must be submitted — not your current E-9 contract. The contract must clearly state: annual salary of KRW 26,000,000 or above (KRW 25,000,000 for agriculture/fisheries), your position, work location, working hours per day and per month, and a duration of at least 2 years. Both you and your employer must sign. Salary must be the guaranteed fixed amount — do not include variable bonuses or reimbursements in the stated annual salary.

• 5
  Applicant Key document

  Certificate of Income Amount — 2 most recent years (소득금액증명원)

  Issued by the National Tax Service (세무서 / NTS). This is the official tax record showing your actual income for the past 2 years — it is used to calculate your average annual income for the K-Point income score. You cannot substitute this with your payslip or employment certificate. Obtain it at any NTS office or through the Government24 portal (gov.kr). Both years must be submitted. If re-entry gaps make 2 consecutive years impossible, the highest 2 years from 2021–2025 may be used as an alternative.

• 6
  Applicant

  Korean Language Proficiency Document

  Submit ONE of the following depending on how you are proving Korean ability:
  • TOPIK: TOPIK score report (점수표). Submit only if using TOPIK as proof.
  • KIIP completion: KIIP level completion certificate (이수증). Score sheet submission not required.
  • KIIP pre-assessment: Pre-assessment score sheet (사전평가 성적표). Check with your immigration office whether this is auto-linked in the system.
  • Korean deferral: No document submitted — but you must note the deferral on your self-assessment form and ensure you meet the score conditions (income ≥50 pts, total without Korean ≥150 pts).

• 7
  Applicant

  Guarantee of Identity (신원보증서)

  별지 129호 서식 — your current employer acts as your guarantor (신원보증인) and signs this form. It is a formal declaration by your employer that they take responsibility for your conduct and compliance during your stay. Download the current form from HiKorea. Your employer’s representative (대표자) must sign.

3. Employer: Mandatory Documents

• 8
  Employer

  Business Registration Certificate (사업자등록증 사본)

  A copy of the company’s current business registration certificate. For agriculture businesses: an agricultural management body registration (농업경영체등록, issued by the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service / 국립농산물품질관리원) may be substituted. The certificate must match the business name and address in the employment contract.

• 9
  Employer Tax compliance check

  Tax Payment Certificates (납세증명서 + 지방세납세증명서)

  Two separate certificates must be submitted: (1) National tax payment certificate (납세증명서 / 국세완납증명서) and (2) Local tax payment certificate (지방세납세증명서). Both must be issued within 3 months of the application date. These verify that the company has no outstanding tax delinquency — a company with tax arrears is automatically excluded from sponsoring E-7-4 applicants.

• 10
  Employer Quota verification

  4 Major Insurance Subscriber List (4대보험 사업장 가입자 명부)

  The list of all employees enrolled in the 4 major social insurances (national pension, health insurance, employment insurance, industrial accident insurance) at the workplace. This document is used to verify the number of Korean employees — which determines the employer’s quota for E-7-4 workers (maximum 30% of qualifying Korean employees, or 50% for root industries and depopulation areas). For construction: also submit construction capacity evaluation documents (시공능력순위확인서). For agriculture: agricultural management body registration substitutes.

• 11
  Employer +50 bonus points

  Employer Recommendation Letter (고용기업 추천서) + Recommender’s ID Copy

  붙임9 양식 — the company’s representative (대표자) fills out and signs this letter, formally recommending you for E-7-4 status. A copy of the representative’s ID (주민등록증 or driver’s license) must be attached. This document serves a dual purpose: it is a mandatory eligibility requirement AND earns you 50 bonus K-Points. Key conditions: you must have worked at this company for at least 1 year, the recommendation is limited to within 20% of the company’s regular employee count, and companies that have committed wage theft, violence, or illegal employment lose their recommendation rights immediately and for 5 years.

4. Additional Documents for Bonus Points

These documents are only required if you are claiming the relevant bonus points. Do not submit them if they don’t apply to you.

• A
  Bonus item ⑥

  Korean National Technical Certificate Copy (국내 자격증 사본)

  A copy of a Korean national technical qualification certificate at 기능사 level or above. Earns +20 bonus points. Examples: 기계조립기능사, 용접기능사, 철근콘크리트기능사, and others relevant to your trade. Issued by HRD Korea (q-net.or.kr). Both sides of the certificate must be copied.

• B
  Bonus item ⑥

  Korean Domestic University Degree Certificate (국내 학위증 사본)

  A copy of a degree obtained from a Korean university (associate degree or above). Also earns +20 bonus points in the same bonus category as the technical certificate — only the higher of ⑥ items is counted, not both. If you have both a 기능사 certificate and a Korean degree, submit both but only 20 points will be awarded.

• C
  Bonus item ⑦

  Korean Driver’s License Copy (국내 운전면허증 사본)

  A copy of your Korean driver’s license. Earns +10 bonus points. Must be a Korean-issued license — an international license or your home country’s license does not qualify. If you drive in Korea regularly but haven’t formally obtained a Korean license yet, this is one of the easiest bonus points to add before applying.

• D
  Employer Bonus item — root industry

  Root Industry Confirmation Certificate (뿌리기업 확인서)

  Required only if the employer is a root industry (뿌리산업) company. Issued by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (한국생산기술연구원). Root industry employers qualify for the expanded 50% quota (instead of the standard 30%) and workers in root industries may be eligible for additional regional bonus points. The occupation code S740 (뿌리산업체 숙련기능공) applies to these workplaces.

5. Industry-Specific Additional Documents

6. Critical Notes on Key Documents

소득금액증명원 — the most commonly misunderstood document

Many applicants confuse this with a pay stub or employment certificate. The 소득금액증명원 is specifically the National Tax Service’s official record of your taxable income — it reflects what was actually reported and paid in taxes, not just what your contract says. If your employer paid part of your wages off the books (not reported to NTS), those amounts will not appear and will not count toward your income score. Make sure all your income has been properly reported before applying.

Employment contract — the salary figure matters precisely

The salary in the contract must be the guaranteed fixed annual amount. Do not include performance bonuses, overtime pay (if variable), meal allowances paid in cash, or transportation reimbursements in the stated annual salary. The immigration office verifies the contract salary against your NTS income record — discrepancies cause delays or rejection. The contract must also state working hours per day and per month to confirm minimum wage compliance.

Employer recommendation letter — format is mandatory

The recommendation must use the official 붙임9 (Attachment 9) form from the immigration manual — a generic letter on company letterhead is not acceptable. The form requires the company’s regular employee count, how many E-7-4 workers the company currently employs, the applicant’s total years at the company (with dates), and the representative’s personal signature. A company stamp alone is not sufficient.

Document validity — check issue dates

Tax certificates (납세증명서, 지방세납세증명서) must be issued within 3 months of your application date. Do not obtain these documents too early — if your application is delayed and the certificates expire, you will need to reissue them. The income certificate (소득금액증명원) does not have a formal expiry, but immigration offices may request recent issuance if the document is over 3 months old.

7. How to Get Your Employer Ready

The employer document set is the part of the application that causes the most delays. Many employers — especially small manufacturing companies — have never handled an E-7-4 application before. Here is how to make the process as smooth as possible:

1. 1

   Confirm your employer is eligible

   The company must currently employ at least one worker on E-9, E-10, or H-2 status. If the company has already converted all E-9 workers to E-7-4, confirm with immigration whether they still qualify as a sponsor. Also check that the company has no outstanding national or local tax delinquency — this disqualifies them from sponsoring.

2. 2

   Give your employer the official document list

   Print the 붙임2 제출 서류 목록 from the official manual and give it to your employer’s HR or accounting department. Many employers don’t know what is required — a concrete list prevents back-and-forth. Specifically highlight items 8–11 and the additional industry-specific documents if applicable.

3. 3

   Request tax certificates and insurance list immediately

   Tax certificates and the 4 major insurance subscriber list take the most time to obtain. Tax certificates can be obtained at any NTS office or online via hometax.go.kr. The insurance subscriber list must show employees enrolled for 3+ months — request the most recent version that includes this information.

4. 4

   Prepare the recommendation letter together

   Download the 붙임9 form from HiKorea. Fill in your work history dates, the company’s employee count, and the number of E-7-4 workers currently employed. Have the representative review it carefully and sign — not just stamp. Attach a copy of the representative’s ID (주민등록증 or driver’s license).

5. 5

   Prepare a new E-7-4 employment contract

   Use the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s standard employment contract (표준근로계약서) template. The contract must show E-7-4 as the status, clearly state the annual salary, and include working hours per day and per month. Both you and the representative sign. Check that the stated salary matches what will actually be reported to NTS going forward.

8. Master Checklist — Print and Use

Next: ← Back to the K-Point Score Table  |  Korean Language Requirement & Deferral →