Last reviewed: September 13, 2026
If you are already working in Korea on an E-9, E-10 or H-2 status, the E-7-4R visa may offer a route to skilled-worker status tied to a participating regional area. The “R” matters: this is not simply the nationwide E-7-4 route with a different name. It combines immigration requirements with a regional recommendation and continuing residence and employment obligations.
Quick answer
The usual E-7-4R applicant is a registered foreign resident who has spent at least two years during the most recent ten years in E-9, E-10 or H-2 status, meets the regional points test, has a qualifying job and receives both an employer recommendation and a recommendation from the relevant metropolitan or provincial government.
The job and residence must be in the recommended population-decline or population-decline-concern area. A region appearing on an administrative list does not by itself mean that applications are currently open or that a local allocation remains available.
E-7-4R vs E-7-4: what is different?
| Question | E-7-4R regional route | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Recommendation | A recommendation from the competent metropolitan or provincial government is required, together with the employer recommendation. | Meeting an online points calculation alone is not enough. |
| Residence and work | The applicant commits to residing and working in the recommended eligible region for at least three years. | Moving home or changing jobs can affect compliance. |
| Points | The regional route uses its own 300-point structure and regional recommendation items. | Do not copy a nationwide E-7-4 calculator without checking the E-7-4R rules. |
| Local intake | The local government controls its recommendation process within the applicable allocation. | Deadlines, forms and remaining places can differ by region. |
For the nationwide route, use the separate E-7-4 K-Point guide. The two routes overlap in purpose, but their recommendation and regional conditions should not be mixed.
Who can apply for E-7-4R?
Start with the following screening questions:
- Current position: you are a registered foreign resident in Korea and are normally working at your current workplace.
- Qualifying status history: during the most recent ten years, you have spent at least two years in E-9, E-10 or H-2 status.
- Regional plan: your job and residence can satisfy the conditions of the recommending population-decline or population-decline-concern area.
- Recommendations: the employer and the competent metropolitan or provincial government are prepared to recommend you.
- Points: you can meet the total score and the minimum scores for the core categories.
The manual also lists exclusion grounds involving criminal penalties, tax arrears, repeated immigration violations, a specified period of unauthorized stay and public-order concerns. Do not rely on a self-calculated score if any compliance issue exists. Tax arrears may be reconsidered after full payment, but the record and timing still need official review.
E-7-4R points and core requirements in 2026
The current regional test has a maximum of 300 points. You need at least 200 points in total, and both average income and Korean ability must separately reach at least 50 points.
| Area | What is assessed | Current checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Average income | Normally the annual average over the latest two income years, based on tax-office income records. | The basic threshold begins at KRW 25 million; KRW 24 million applies to the specified agriculture, livestock, fisheries and coastal-shipping cases. |
| Korean ability | TOPIK, KIIP completion or the KIIP pre-assessment placement recognized by the rule. | The regular minimum is TOPIK Level 2 or the corresponding stated KIIP route. |
| Age | Age under Korea’s full-age calculation method. | Points vary by age band. |
| Bonus points | Recommendations, service at the workplace, qualifying regional work history, relevant Korean certificates or degree, and a qualifying Korean driving licence. | Only documented items count. |
| Deductions | Certain fines, tax-related stay restrictions and immigration-law violations. | Deductions can reduce an otherwise sufficient score. |
Keep the points calculation and the evidence documents together. A score claimed without the required tax, language, employment or qualification record may not be accepted.
Which regions are eligible for E-7-4R?
E-7-4R applies to designated population-decline areas and population-decline-concern areas. However, there are two checks:
- Administrative eligibility: confirm that the city, county or district has the relevant national designation.
- Operational availability: confirm that the local government is accepting E-7-4R recommendations and still has space under its current allocation.
The full list is not copied here because designations, participating programs and available allocations do not always change at the same time. Use the Ministry of Justice regional-visa material as a starting point, then check the current notice issued by the local government where you will live and work.
Open the official regional-visa overview Open HiKorea
Job, contract and employer requirements
- The workplace must be in the recommended eligible region.
- The standard route requires continued employment with the current company after at least one year of service and an employer recommendation.
- The employment contract must remain valid for at least two years after the application date.
- The stated annual pay must meet the E-7-4R contract threshold and Korea’s minimum-wage rules.
- The employer must be an eligible business in the skilled-worker scheme and must not have disqualifying national or local tax arrears.
Current eligible fields include root-industry businesses, agriculture, livestock and fisheries, general manufacturing, construction, and regular coastal passenger or cargo shipping. Employer headcount limits vary with the business type and Korean employee count, so the employer should check its current capacity before promising sponsorship.
The current contract threshold belongs in the maintained E-7 salary guide. Employer-side screening should also be compared with the E-7-4 employer requirements guide. Those pages should be checked again when the annual salary notice or employer rules change.
How to apply for the E-7-4R visa
- Check your status history and compliance record.
Confirm the qualifying E-9, E-10 or H-2 period and identify any tax, immigration or criminal-record issue before asking for recommendations. - Confirm the region is currently recruiting.
Find the current E-7-4R notice from the city, county or metropolitan/provincial government. Check its local deadline, allocation and contact point. - Verify the employer and contract.
Confirm the business type, employer capacity, workplace address, pay, working hours and remaining contract period. - Calculate the E-7-4R score.
Use the regional score structure and collect evidence for every point claimed. - Obtain the employer and regional recommendations.
Follow the local government’s document and screening process. Do not assume an employer letter replaces the metropolitan or provincial recommendation. - File the immigration application.
Submit the status-change application and the route-specific supporting documents to the competent immigration office using its current booking and filing instructions. - Maintain the regional conditions.
Keep the qualifying residence, employment and contract conditions after approval. Check first before moving home or changing the workplace.
Processing stages and fees can depend on the filing service and should be checked in the maintained E-7 processing and fees guide and with the office handling the case.
Documents to prepare
The current E-7-4R manual groups the main evidence as follows:
- application form, passport copy, photo and residence card;
- E-7-4R self-assessment sheet and personal statement;
- E-7-4R standard employment contract;
- tax-office income records for the relevant income period;
- Korean-language evidence when required;
- guarantee and proof of residence;
- employer registration, tax-clearance and workforce evidence;
- employer recommendation and the metropolitan or provincial recommendation;
- evidence for any bonus point or special industry condition claimed.
Use the E-7 document guide for the general filing structure, but follow the current local E-7-4R announcement for its recommendation forms and submission sequence. The immigration office may request additional evidence for the individual case.
After approval: residence, job changes and family
You must continue to live and work in the recommended region. After two years, the manual allows a move to another population-decline or population-decline-concern area within the same metropolitan or provincial jurisdiction, subject to the applicable conditions.
A workplace change requires a new regional recommendation before the immigration application and must stay within an eligible regional arrangement. Do not start at the new workplace solely because the employer or local government has issued a letter. Check the applicable prior-permission process first.
Eligible spouses and minor children may use the regional-family route subject to family relationship, shared residence, housing, income and other requirements. Spouse employment is separately regulated. Confirm the family’s exact status and work permission before employment begins.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for E-7-4R from outside Korea?
The ordinary target described in the current manual is a registered foreign resident in Korea with qualifying E-9, E-10 or H-2 history. It is structured as an in-Korea status-change route, not a general overseas recruitment visa.
Is E-7-4R available to H-2 workers?
Yes. The August 2026 residence manual includes H-2 together with E-9 and E-10 in the qualifying status history, subject to the other requirements.
Can I apply while looking for a job?
A special case exists when the intended workplace is in a population-decline area. It can cover a job-seeking E-9, E-10 or H-2 holder and a D-10 holder whose immediately previous status was E-7-4 or E-7-4R. Confirm the current local intake before relying on the exception.
Does living in an eligible area guarantee a recommendation?
No. You must also meet the applicant, job, employer, points and documentation requirements, and the local government must be accepting applications within its available allocation.
Can I move to another region after receiving E-7-4R?
The initial obligation is tied to the recommended region. After two years, a move may be possible to another eligible population-decline or concern area within the same metropolitan or provincial jurisdiction. Confirm the required recommendation and immigration procedure before moving.
Can E-7-4R lead to F-2-R?
The regional-visa framework provides a possible F-2-R transition after the required regional residence and employment period, but it is not automatic. You must meet the F-2-R requirements in force when you apply.
Official and maintained references
- Ministry of Justice — 2025 regional visa plan and regional overview
- Ministry of Justice — June 2026 skilled-worker rule improvements
- HiKorea — current immigration notices and services
- Korea Work Expert — nationwide E-7-4 K-Point guide
- Korea Work Expert — maintained E-7 salary requirements
- Korea Work Expert — E-7 document guide
Information notice: This is general information based on official materials checked on September 13, 2026. Regional allocations, recruitment dates, forms, temporary exceptions and annual income rules can change. Confirm the current local-government notice and your individual case with the competent immigration office or the Immigration Contact Center at 1345 before applying.