Hiring foreign staff: define the work before nationality and headcount

Define actual duties, workplace, hours and pay before specifying nationality and headcount. Roles labelled “production” or “office staff” can involve very different work. A useful recruitment consultation starts with a clear position, then compares candidate information and the relevant employment route.

Describe a working day, not just a title

For an overseas sales role, identify customers, working languages, products and tasks the person would perform. In production, separate operating equipment, checking quality and keeping records. Do not add duties that will not actually be performed to make a title fit a desired category.

List three frequent duties and what can be taught after joining. This also provides better interview questions than a long company profile without a defined vacancy.

Prepare a one-page brief

Field	What the employer should confirm	Why it matters
Employer and contact	Contracting entity, contact and approver	Proposal and contract must refer to the correct employer
Actual role	Main duties, essential skills and language use	Comparable titles may involve different tasks
Workplace	Actual site and any work elsewhere	An address alone may not describe the work
Terms	Headcount, hours, holidays and contract period	Avoid renegotiating basic conditions later
Pay	Basic pay, allowances, fixed and variable items	Annual pay and take-home expectations differ
Start and support	Intended start, training and housing terms	Candidates need to plan relocation and preparation

If a term is under discussion, mark it as such and give a confirmation date. The company should confirm its offer rather than leaving an adviser to guess.

Separate essential skills from training

Specify language through work situations: understanding safety instructions, keeping records, customer calls or reading documents. Replace “experienced worker” with the tasks and equipment experience actually needed.

Keep mandatory skills, preferred experience and training after entry on separate lines. Where a role requires a qualification, connect that requirement to the vacancy through a separate check.

Fictional example: “We need two foreign employees”

A fictional employer requests two people of a particular nationality. Before reviewing candidates, establish whether the vacancies have the same duties, site and schedule; the basic pay and allowance proposal for each; necessary skills and language; and the intended starting date.

Define the work first rather than choosing a person and inventing a matching job description later.

Track the offer and administrative review separately

Employer approval, candidate acceptance and completion of the required employment or residence procedures are different events. Relevant E-7 guidance, annual wage notices and employment-permit procedures must be checked through the appropriate route. A job title alone does not settle eligibility.

After consultation, track confirmed company terms, candidate checks, outstanding evidence, responsible reviewer and next contact. When terms change, identify whether duties, location or pay changed so the review can focus on the relevant information.

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: GEA 취업·채용 상담 · 근로기준법 제17조

Prepared by GEA · Sources checked: 24 October 2026