When you taste food cooked directly by a foreign chef, there’s a noticeable difference from food made by Korean chefs. In particular, for restaurants serving authentic cuisine from the chef’s home country, the local chef’s know-how and delicate taste can become a key competitive advantage.

In addition, with the rise in foreign tourists and the growing interest in diverse culinary experiences, the demand for foreign chefs and cooks is expected to increase steadily.

To hire a foreign chef or cook, certain requirements must be met, and the worker must obtain an E-7 (specialized occupation) visa. The employer must provide administrative support for the applicant to receive an E-7 visa. The very first step is to check whether your business is eligible to hire a foreign chef. Carefully checking the qualifications and following the proper hiring process increases the chances of approval.

※ If you are hiring a foreigner with a long-term visa such as F-2 (residency), F-4 (overseas Korean), F-5 (permanent residency), or F-6 (marriage migration), you can hire them the same way as Korean nationals.

> E-7 (specialized occupation) hiring process

✅ Employer Qualifications

To hire an E-7 visa holder, you must meet the basic employment conditions + additional requirements specific to the restaurant business. The basic conditions apply to all occupations under the E-7 visa.

> View E-7 Basic Employment Requirements

Additional requirements for restaurants include that the business must serve foreign cuisines such as Chinese, Japanese, or Western food. Korean food, snack food, coffee, and traditional tea chefs are not eligible.

If the business is not in a restricted category, the number of foreign workers allowed will depend on the establishment's size, annual VAT amount, and the number of Korean employees.

Minimum requirements for hiring foreign chefs or cooks

The following table shows the minimum qualifications needed to hire foreign workers. The number of allowable hires increases depending on the business size and the number of Korean employees.

Lastly, note that if the restaurant is unlikely to attract foreign tourists, or the intent is to hire for low wages, or it is a catering/event-based business with no regular employment, the application may be denied.

✅ Worker Qualifications

Just like the employer, the individual must also meet required qualifications.

① For those residing abroad without a visa

Must meet at least one of the following conditions:

• Intermediate-level or higher culinary certificate  
• Entry-level certificate + 3 or more years of experience  
• Completed more than 6 months of culinary education + 5 or more years of experience  
• 10 or more years of experience for regional dishes without formal training programs  
• Award winner in internationally recognized culinary competitions

② For those educated or studying in Korea

• Bachelor's or Master's degree (any major) + culinary certificate + 2 years of experience (or 2+ years of education in Korea)
• Associate degree in related field + culinary certificate + 2 years of experience (or 2+ years of education in Korea)
• Private institute training (D-4-6) + 2 years of experience (if 20+ months of training under D-4-6, experience requirement is waived)

For the E-7 visa, the employer must first receive confirmation from the Ministry of Justice that hiring a foreign worker is necessary. Based on this, the worker can apply for the visa. The hiring process is fairly complex and can take at least two months, so early preparation is highly recommended. If you have any questions about hiring a foreign chef, please contact TalentLink at any time.

[Related Information Links]

> E-7 Visa Introduction
> Additional Requirements by E-7 Job Type
> Visas Eligible for Part-Time Work
> Visas Eligible for General Hiring
> Application for Certificate of Visa Issuance Confirmation