Received an Application From a Foreign Candidate? 4 Steps to Check Before Hiring a Foreign National
"I posted a job to hire a Korean employee, but a foreign applicant applied. What should I do?"
As the number of foreign residents and international students in Korea grows, so does the number of foreign job applicants. This is especially true for positions that require foreign language skills, such as overseas sales, marketing, and translation/interpretation.
When you receive a foreign applicant's résumé, it is easy to feel unsure and simply pass over it. But we recommend reading it carefully first. The perfect candidate for the position may be right there.
This article gives you an easy-to-follow guide to the hiring process for employers who are considering hiring a foreign national.
※ This article covers hiring foreign nationals for office and professional roles. If you are hiring foreign workers for manufacturing or other simple-labor jobs under the Employment Permit System (E-9), the process is different, so please refer to the related article.
Step 1: Hiring a Foreign Applicant Starts With Reviewing the Résumé
Ability comes before nationality. Evaluate education, work experience, and job fit by the same standards you apply to Korean applicants. Many foreign applicants use both their native language and Korean, and if they graduated from a Korean university, they are also familiar with Korean workplace culture. For jobs that involve overseas clients, they can even be a better choice than a Korean applicant. If you are concerned about their Korean ability, you can quickly find out by talking with them directly in the interview.
Step 2: The Starting Point of Hiring Foreigners - Check the Visa
What a foreign national can do in Korea is determined by their status of sojourn (visa). Depending on which visa they hold, the same person may be hired right away, or the company may need to help them change their visa.
Checking a visa is not difficult. Look at the status of sojourn and the period of stay on the Alien Registration Card, or simply ask the applicant. There are two broad hiring paths.
Category | Main Visas | How to Hire |
|---|---|---|
Can be hired right away | Resident (F-2), Permanent Resident (F-5), Marriage Migrant (F-6) | Hire through the same procedure as a Korean employee |
Company sponsors a work visa | Student (D-2), Job Seeker (D-10) | Start work after changing to a visa that permits employment, such as E-7 or F-2-R |
Step 3: Resident, Permanent Resident, or Marriage Migrant Visa? Hire Them Right Away
Resident (F-2), Permanent Resident (F-5), and Marriage Migrant (F-6) visa holders have almost no restrictions on employment activities. You can sign an employment contract and enroll them in the four major social insurances just as you would for a Korean employee, with no separate visa procedure.
However, not every visa starting with "F" is the same. Please double-check the cases below.
Visiting/Cohabiting (F-1) · Dependent Family (F-3): In principle, these visas do not permit employment.Overseas Korean (F-4): Employment in simple labor occupations is restricted.Regional Specialized Resident (F-2-R): The holder can work only within the recommended region, so you must check that your company is located in that region. |
Step 4: Students and Job Seekers: The Company Helps Prepare the Work Visa
Holders of a Student (D-2) or Job Seeker (D-10) visa cannot be formally employed. To hire this applicant, your company must help them change to a visa that permits employment.
The most common visas are Specially Designated Activities (E-7) and Regional Specialized Resident (F-2-R). There are three things your company needs to do.
① Choose the right visa: Depending on the job and your company's location, decide whether to proceed with E-7 or F-2-R. ② Review your company's requirements: Visa screening looks not only at the applicant but also at the hiring company. First check whether your company meets the employment requirements for that visa, such as the job duties, salary, and the number of Korean employees. ③ Prepare the application documents together: Prepare company documents such as the employment contract and business registration certificate to help the applicant apply for a change of status of sojourn. |
Delay the official start date until approval is granted. If you let someone work as a regular employee before the change of status of sojourn is approved, it counts as illegal employment, and the employer is also subject to penalties.
Review Foreign Applicants With an Open Mind
As the number of foreign residents in Korea grows, more and more foreign nationals will apply to your job postings.
Rather than passing over a résumé because it feels unfamiliar, first asking whether the person is the right talent for your company will become your hiring advantage going forward.
Related Information
When hiring foreign workers, start here.
E-7 Hiring Company Eligibility Check
How to Hire Foreign Workers for Simple-Labor Jobs (E-9 Visa)