The E-9 visa is a Non-Professional Employment Visa issued to workers in non-professional fields such as simple labor, manufacturing, agriculture, livestock farming, and fishing industries. It is only available to workers from countries with agreements with Korea and is issued under Korea's Employment Permit System (EPS).

• 1

  Eligible Countries

  

  Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Cambodia , China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Timor-Leste, Laos, Tajikistan

• 2

  Industry-Specific Quotas (As of 25 years)

  

  Industry	Number of People
  Manufacturing, Mining	72,000
  Agriculture, Livestock, and Forestry	10,000
  Shipbuilding industry	2,500
  Fishing	8,500
  Construction	2,000
  Service (Including Food)	3,000
  탄Flexible allocation	32,000

  ※ Mining, Forestry, and Food Service: Approved on a trial basis starting in 2024.

• 3

  Length of Stay

  
  • 1)

    Basic 3 Years

    
  • 2)

    Extension: Up to 1 year and 10 months if re-applied by the employer.

    
  • 3)

    Exclusions from Regular Stay Period: time lost due to work-related injuries, illnesses, pregnancy, or childbirth does not count towards the regular stay period. Total stay cannot exceed 5 years.

    
• 4

  Rights and Protections

  

  E-9 visa holders are entitled to the same legal protections as Korean citizens under the Labor Standards Act of Korea.

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  Restrictions

  
  • 1)

    Engaging in economic activities not covered by the visa is prohibited.

    
  • 2)

    Workplace Changes: Allowed only in cases such as company closure or wage disputes.

    
  • 3)

    Family Sponsorship not permitted.

    
  • 4)

    D irect conversion to long-term visas is not allowed (However, conversion to an E-7-4 visa followed by long-term stay visa eligibility is possible.)