E-7 Overseas Sales Visa in Korea — Job Scope, Employer Rules and Documents

Overview

There is no separate "E-7 overseas sales visa". The term refers to a foreigner brought in under Specific Activities (E-7) in the occupation overseas sales agent (occupation code 2842). The Ministry of Justice Foreign Resident Stay Manual (Sept. 2026 edition) describes it as sales work needed to sell goods to overseas buyers, sales work to import goods from overseas sellers, and similar overseas sales activity, and lists overseas sales agent, trade sales agent and import-export sales agent as example jobs.

By contrast, domestic online-shop sellers, people who only manage products or pack goods for shipping, and trade clerks are listed as excluded, and overseas online product sellers carry separate rules on the employer, education, Korean ability and post-entry management. This article is limited to this occupation. The full E-7 occupation list and general employer requirements are covered elsewhere, and approval is decided by examination.

At a Glance

Scope of Activity

• The job description, example and excluded jobs, employment recommendation, special rules under the Korean-employment protection review, and the separate rules for overseas online product sellers in the manual's overseas sales agent (2842) entry
• Documents and stay-management points the manual says to check for this occupation (the general E-7 document list and general employer requirements are in separate articles)
• Out of scope: processing time and fees, judging the likelihood of approval, and industry-specific interpretations not in the manual

Who Qualifies

• Trading and manufacturing companies that want to invite or change the status of a foreigner under E-7 for export-import or overseas-buyer sales work
• Foreigners who want to work in Korea as an overseas sales agent, and graduates (or soon-to-be graduates) who want to check education and career requirements first
• Companies that want a foreigner to handle overseas online-shop sales (to check the separate rules)
• Staff wondering whether domestic shop sales or packing and inventory work can be filed as overseas sales

Required Documents

• Check that the job fits the occupation: whether the actual work is selling to overseas buyers or sales work to import from overseas sellers, and not domestic shop sales or only product management and packing (check the exclusions)
• Check education and career: the general requirement is one of the following: a master's degree or higher in a field related to the occupation; a related bachelor's degree plus at least 1 year of experience in the field; or at least 5 years of related work experience. Also check any special rules for talented applicants and any separate requirement for the occupation
• Documents of the invited foreigner: passport copy, one color half-length photo, employment contract, and proof of qualifications (degree, career certificate, licenses). Documents issued abroad need a Korean or English translation, and key documents need consular notarization or an Apostille
• Documents of the inviting company: documents on the establishment of the employing organization, documents showing the need for hiring (such as a letter of reasons for invitation), tax payment certificate (national tax), and local tax certificate. The letter should state the need, the plan for using the foreigner and the expected effect specifically
• Employment recommendation: for this occupation, recommenders are KOTRA or the trade association, or the SME promotion agency (SMEs only). It is mandatory for employers or headcounts under a special standard, so check that first
• Extra documents for overseas online product sellers: proof of trade results, proof of securing office space, and proof of Korean ability (TOPIK level 3 or higher)
• Letter of guarantee: overseas online product sellers within the overseas sales agent occupation are among the occupations for which a letter of guarantee is collected. Ask the competent Immigration Office whether it applies to other overseas sales agents
• Documents to check at extension: application form, passport and ARC, employment contract, personal income certificate (required), copy of the business registration or corporate registry, proof of residence, and the employer's payment history, tax payment certificate and local tax certificate

Application Process

1. Check eligibility — confirm your current status, career, degree and contract type match the requirements.
2. Prepare documents — foreign public documents need a translator's certification plus an apostille (or consular confirmation for non-member states).
3. Book a visit — reserve a slot at your Immigration Office via HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr), or file online where e-Application is available.
4. File and pay — submit the Integrated Application Form (Form No. 34) and pay the screening fee.
5. Review — respond to any request for supplementary documents within the deadline.
6. Result — on approval, the period of stay and status are granted; reissue your ARC if required.

Key Points

• Overseas online product sellers have separate rules: overseas sales agents, trade sales agents and import-export sales agents follow the existing rules, and only overseas online product sellers are subject to the rules below. The employer must meet all of these: business type is trade (a company registered with the trade association), prior-year overseas export results of KRW 5 billion or more, and office space for the sellers (remote work and dispatch work are not accepted).
• Education and Korean: an overseas online product seller needs a domestic associate degree or higher, or a foreign bachelor's degree plus at least 1 year of experience in the field, or a master's degree or higher, and a TOPIK level 3 or higher certificate.
• Stricter post-entry management: for overseas online product sellers, the visa issuance certificate is for a single-entry visa with a maximum stay of 1 year; at extension the prior-year salary record is checked against the wage requirement, and the extension period may be shortened if it is not met. Changing or adding workplaces is restricted, and even in unavoidable cases the person must leave and re-enter on a new visa; permission for activities outside status is also restricted.
• Headcount: overseas online product sellers are allowed only where prior-year export results are KRW 5 billion or more. With results of KRW 5 billion to 10 billion, up to 40 people; at KRW 10 billion or more, no headcount cap, but within 70% of the workforce in that field.
• Wages and Korean-employment review for ordinary overseas sales agents: overseas sales agent is an occupation to which the Korean-employment protection review is applied as an exception, and the 2026 wage requirement for professionals (E-7-1) is KRW 31.12 million per year or more, with separate standards for some special cases. This follows the manual, which is a supporting guide; approval is decided by examination and the office head may add or remove documents, so confirm with the competent Immigration Office.
• Documents issued in Korea must normally be dated within 3 months unless another validity period applies.
• Documents already on file in your alien registration record need not be resubmitted.
• Health certificates, drug test results and pre-employment medical reports must be submitted sealed by the issuing hospital (do not open).
• You must be in Korea when applying; leaving the country after filing may result in refusal.
• Screening fees are non-refundable once the application is accepted.
• The head of the Immigration Office may add or waive documents where necessary for review.

Frequently Asked Questions

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