How Foreigners Can Obtain the Care Worker License and Career Prospects

As Korea rapidly ages, the role of care workers is becoming increasingly important. To address the shortage of workers in this field, starting in 2025, foreigners will also be able to work as care workers and will be eligible for the E-7 visa.

Because the demand is so high, obtaining a care worker license makes employment very easy. For example, Ms. Ha Ngoc, a Vietnamese national who became the first foreigner in Korea to obtain a care worker license, received job offers from more than 20 institutions after certification.

To foster skilled professionals, 24 universities in Korea will open training programs for foreign care workers in 2026. Students admitted to these programs can receive a student visa (D-2) under eased requirements, and universities will provide systematic support from degree studies to certification and employment.

✅ What is a Care Worker?

A care worker assists people with limited mobility in daily activities such as eating, toileting, bathing, cleaning, laundry, and meal preparation. They also provide emotional support through companionship, walks, and conversation, improving the quality of life for the elderly.

✅ Requirements for Care Worker Certification

① An associate degree or higher from a Korean university

② Completion of training and field practice at an accredited care worker training institution

③ Passing the care worker certification exam

④ Completion of the Social Integration Program (KIIP) Level 3 or higher, or a pre-evaluation score of 61+, or TOPIK Level 3 or higher

✅ How to Prepare

A Korean associate degree or higher is required, but the field of study does not matter. International students already in Korea can become care workers once certified. Those preparing to study abroad are strongly encouraged to apply to universities offering care worker training programs, which provide many benefits and make both certification and employment preparation much easier.

✅ Typical Workplaces

After certification, care workers usually work in nursing homes, geriatric hospitals, or senior welfare facilities.

✅ Useful Information

🔗 Introduction to TOPIK (Korean Language Proficiency Test)

🔗 Introduction to KIIP (Korean Immigration & Integration Program)

🔗 E-7 Visa

🔗 E-7 Job Categories

* 24 Universities offering Care Worker Training Programs (to begin in 2026)