South Korea may soon open the E-7 visa to overseas Master’s & PhD talent

TL;DR
South Korea is planning a big update to the E-7-1 visa system.
The government may allow companies to hire master’s and PhD-level specialists directly from overseas, not only graduates from Korean universities.
This includes choosing key countries for recruitment, speeding up approval steps, adding better verification, and expanding job categories beyond STEM.
If approved, it could give startups and SMEs more hiring power and open new doors for global talent.
For Dev Korea, this creates a larger, more diverse talent pool and strengthens its role as Korea’s main bridge between companies and international professionals.

South Korea is preparing another major update to its global talent strategy. This time the focus is on the E-7-1 visa, a key pathway for foreign professionals working in Korean companies.

Until now, the E-7-1 recommendation system mainly supported international students who studied in Korea. But the government is now reviewing a much bigger direction:

👉 Let Korean companies hire overseas master’s and PhD-level specialists directly from abroad.

If approved, this would be one of the most meaningful changes to Korea’s work visa ecosystem in years, especially for startups and SMEs that struggle to find specialized talent.

This article explains what is changing, why it matters, and what it means for Dev Korea.

1. Moving beyond domestic graduates

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and KOSME have launched a research project to redesign the E-7-1 recommendation system.

Their goal is to expand the program so companies can:

Recruit highly skilled global talent directly from overseas universities
Bring in specialists with master’s or PhD degrees
Reach talent that previously had no clear pathway into Korea

Right now, only foreigners who graduated or are graduating in Korea can receive MSS recommendations in 24 job categories. These categories mostly cover IT, engineering, and technical roles.
This reform would open the door to a much wider group of global specialists.

2. Selecting key countries for recruiting talent

The government plans to choose at least five “priority talent source countries.”
Selection will be based on:

Talent supply size and quality
Academic and career verification reliability
Links to Korean industries
Administrative stability
Cultural compatibility

This allows Korea to build structured and reliable recruitment channels.

3. Faster hiring with a simpler process

The current E-7-1 recommendation process involves several steps and multiple layers of review.
Startups and SMEs often face delays because the process is slow.

The government is studying ways to:

Shorten processing time
Reduce paperwork
Remove bottlenecks
Create a fast-track route for strong candidates

This would help companies hire the talent they need more quickly.

4. Stronger checks to prevent document fraud

To prevent fake degrees or false career records, the government is considering new verification systems such as:

Certification from overseas universities
Partnerships with international verification agencies
Cooperation with trusted public institutions

This builds trust for both employers and the government.

5. Expanding beyond STEM fields

Another major change under review is expanding E-7-1 eligibility beyond STEM fields.

Possible new areas include:

International sales
Product planning
Marketing
Business development
Cross-cultural operations

Many universities have said foreign humanities students want to work in Korea but cannot qualify under the current rules.
Expanding the job list would help companies hire global talent for global roles, not only engineering.

Why these reforms matter

If implemented, the E-7-1 reform would mark a major shift in how Korea approaches global hiring.

Past: Focus on keeping students already in Korea
Future: Actively attract global professionals from overseas universities

For startups and SMEs, the reform could:

Strengthen their R&D teams
Improve their global competitiveness
Support international expansion
Bring deeper expertise into local companies

This shows Korea wants to build a more global, innovation-focused workforce.

What this means for Dev Korea

If Korea opens the E-7-1 system to overseas master’s and PhD-level talent, it directly strengthens Dev Korea’s role in the ecosystem.

Dev Korea would help companies access a much larger global talent pool, including specialists who previously had no visa pathway into Korea. This means better-quality matches for employers and more opportunities for overseas professionals who want to work in Korea.

It also positions Dev Korea as an essential bridge between Korean companies and global talent by providing clear information, simple explanations, and community support around the new system.

Overall, the reform increases Dev Korea’s impact: connecting more companies with qualified international candidates and helping more global professionals find real career opportunities in Korea.

What happens next

The government is still reviewing the reform, and details may change.
We are watching for updates on:

Which countries will be selected
Which job categories will be added
How the fast-track process will work
Whether a new visa type will be created
When the changes will officially launch

Even at this early stage, the direction is clear.
South Korea wants to compete globally for world-class professionals.

When the government announces the final details, we will share them on Dev Korea.

Note: Visa requirements and regulations can change. Always verify the latest information with official Korean immigration authorities or consult with a qualified immigration expert before making final decisions.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you’re an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea’s innovation ecosystem.