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H-2 Work and Visit

South KoreaWork

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Get your free results Read the five questions ↓

What type of worker, employment situation, occupation or professional activity is this pathway actually designed for?

H-2 is for persons aged 18 or older who are overseas Koreans with one of 7 nationalities (China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan) and wish to visit or work in Korea (46 occupations).

See recorded sources

Does the applicant need a job offer, employer, sponsor, transfer relationship or other employer involvement? What is important about that employer relationship?

Employers of H-2 workers are subject to a ceiling on the number of H-2 employees per place of business, discussed by the Foreign Manpower Policy Committee and jointly publicly notified by the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Employment and Labor; H-2 holders must declare the commencement of their work. The official source does not state whether a job offer is needed before entry.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Source is the Korea Legislation Research Institute English translation of the Enforcement Decree (for reference; the Korean text prevails).
  • Whether a job offer is needed before entry is not stated.

What are the few decisive professional characteristics of the pathway: occupation, qualifications, experience, salary, skill level, shortage status, labour-market condition or equivalent?

Part of the H-2 intake (item (a)(vii)) is governed by an annual quota discussed by the Foreign Manpower Policy Committee and jointly publicly notified by the Ministers of Justice and of Employment and Labor; the Minister of Justice may determine and publicly notify its detailed allotment by nationality, considering the number of Korean nationals in each country, economic level and diplomatic relations with Korea.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Source is the Korea Legislation Research Institute English translation of the Enforcement Decree (for reference; the Korean text prevails).
  • The quota applies to one H-2 sub-group (item (a)(vii)); Table 1-2 with that item was not captured.

What work does the permission allow? Is the holder tied to an employer, occupation or sector? Can family accompany where clearly established?

H-2 holders must declare commencement of work; commencement of work or change of H-2 status is reported as a change in foreign resident registration within 15 days. Spouse and underage children of H-2 holders are listed under the F-1 Family Visitor status. The official source does not state whether holders are tied to one employer.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The permitted occupations are only referred to as "46 occupations" (R1); whether holders are tied to one employer is not stated.

How long is the permission normally granted for, how is it renewed, and what longer-term residence direction exists if officially stated?

H-2 is granted for 3 years, marked extendable. Those working in the manufacturing industry, etc. for 4 years or more with work and visit status are listed among those eligible for Permanent Resident (F-5).

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The renewal procedure and other F-5 requirements for this category are not stated.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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