E-9 permits and E-7 recruitment: choose the right employment route

Start with the actual work and the candidate's location and current status, rather than simply asking whether someone can be brought from overseas. E-9 employment permits and other employment routes such as E-7 do not share an interchangeable recruitment and residence procedure.

What is the E-9 route?

Work24 describes the general employment-permit system as government-authorised hiring of non-professional foreign workers by eligible employers unable to recruit local workers. The permitted industry, workplace conditions and prescribed recruitment process matter. Signing directly with a preferred person cannot replace that process.

The official guidance also describes limits on private involvement in E-9 selection and placement. A paid-placement registration or overseas network does not itself grant every E-9 recruitment power.

Prepare the routing questions

Area	Question	What it helps identify
Actual work	Which workplace and tasks?	Industry and role
Candidate location	Overseas or already in Korea?	Introduction or domestic route
Current status	Which status and permitted activity?	Appropriate employment review
Employer	Industry, staffing and contract terms?	Route-specific employer checks
Requested service	Employment discussion or public permission procedure?	Authorised contact

Do not route a case using nationality alone. Identify the actual status and work separately. If the company already holds an employment permission or official notice, record its name, date and current status.

Employment permission and residence administration differ

Work24 separates employment permission, contract, visa-issuance confirmation, arrival and employment management. Completion of one does not complete the others.

For a person already in Korea, do not assume unrestricted movement to another workplace. Ask through the relevant public channel using their present status and situation.

Fictional example: a preferred overseas applicant

A fictional employer finds a person through an overseas acquaintance and asks to hire that person under E-9. The first task is to check the eligible industry, employer conditions and public recruitment process. A private consultation agreement is not confirmation that this specific person will be introduced.

If the genuine vacancy involves professional duties requiring another route, describe the work and candidate qualifications separately. Do not invent duties or relabel a job simply to change the route.

What can an employer bring to GEA?

GEA's employer entry point receives workplace, duties, headcount and pay information. Explain the actual staffing need and identify what must be checked next. Do not interpret the general consultation as replacing public E-9 selection, placement or introduction.

“We need people for ○○ work at ○○ workplace in ○○ industry. The candidate is overseas/in Korea with ○○ status. Please help identify the appropriate route and employer information to check.”

Keep the routing outcome

Record the selected route, responsible institution, company evidence, unresolved points and next contact date. For a public procedure, keep its receipt and result separate. Similar document names or permission numbers do not make different stages one completed event.

Turn the preparation into your next step

GEA employer recruitment consultation

GEA handles employment counselling and employment connections. Visa and residence administration is handled by its partner, Now Together Administrative Agent Office.

Official sources: 고용24 일반 고용허가제 · GEA 취업·채용 상담

Prepared by GEA · Sources checked: 24 October 2026