What work can you do and not do with an E-9 Non-professional Employment visa?

With an E-9, you can only do work in the permitted industry, at the workplace that received the employment permit. You cannot take a side job elsewhere or change companies on your own.

Work you can do

• Manufacturing (E-9-1): companies with fewer than 300 regular workers or capital of 8 billion KRW or less
• Construction (E-9-2): all construction work. However, industrial environment facility companies at power plants, steel mills, and petrochemical sites are excluded.
• Agriculture and livestock (E-9-3): crop farming, livestock farming, and related services
• Fishing (E-9-4): coastal and offshore fishing, aquaculture, and salt harvesting
• Forestry (E-9-9): simple forestry work at designated corporations
• Mining (E-9-10): metal mining and non-metallic mineral mining
• Some service industries (E-9-5): construction waste processing, inland refrigerated and frozen warehouses, recycled material collection, and similar work. The allowed scope may change, so be sure to check.

The maximum stay you can get at one time is 3 years. If your employer re-hires you, it can be extended by up to 1 year and 10 months. You can work for a maximum of 4 years and 10 months in total.

Work you cannot do

• Working anywhere other than the permitted workplace (including part-time jobs and side jobs). As a rule, E-9 does not allow activities outside your visa status.
• Professional jobs that require qualifications or experience
• Changing workplaces without permission. You can apply for a change only if you have a reason that makes it hard to keep working, such as a business suspension or closure.
• Changing workplaces more times than allowed. You can change 3 times in the first 3 years and 2 times during the re-hire period. Changes made for reasons that are not your fault do not count.

⚠️ Things to watch out for

If you do not apply for a workplace change within 1 month of the day your work contract ends, you must leave Korea. If you work somewhere else without permission, you may be punished or be subject to departure. If you are already in this situation, get Kevi administrative agent consultation in the app's visa service.

Check the exact permitted industries again at HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or the Foreigner Comprehensive Information Center (외국인종합안내센터) (1345).