Today, let's explore the target and requirements for E-7 visa plant engineering technicians recently invited
The company that commissioned me is a German bio-pharmaceutical foreign investment corporation with three branches already established in Korea, each with its own business registration certificate.
I previously invited the representative of one of these branches (foreign investment corporation) with a D-8 visa.
The company, to which the invited representative belongs, has been investing $300 million over three years in constructing a factory on a site of 24,000 square meters in Songdo International City. The expected completion date was in 2025.
In this process, the request was made to invite technician related to the construction of the factory.
The request for inviting technicians related to the construction of the factory arose because similar or identical facilities and machines used in the German headquarters needed to be adapted for the Songdo factory. Therefore, a highly skilled plant engineering technician with expertise in the headquarters' systems was required. Due to the significant difficulty in hiring such specialized personnel domestically, the decision was made to invite a plant engineering technician of French nationality who had participated in the construction process of the overseas factory multiple times when it was established.
In this case, the approval was surprisingly granted within three days, which even surprised me. Since it involves inviting foreigners residing abroad, it typically undergoes a basic review period. Moreover, visas like E-7 or D-8, which require intensive scrutiny, often take longer than other types of visas.
Those who entrust me with such requests often ask a recurring question: "How long does it take to get the visa?"
In the case of visa issuance approval application (invitation), assuming there are no major supplementary requests or if the requested documents can be promptly submitted even with minor supplementary requests, based on my experience, it can be as quick as two weeks (the statutory administrative processing period). Typically, it takes around three weeks, and it can even extend to a month. In practice, it usually takes that amount of time.
Until now, the quickest E-7 visa issuance approval I've experienced was for hiring an vice president in a foreign investment corporation, and it took just one week, excluding weekends.
In reality, the processing period can vary greatly, and there are instances where I find it challenging to provide an exact answer on how long it will take.
Through this case, I felt this aspect even more.
In conclusion, if the conditions are genuinely excellent, it could take within 7 days. On the longer side, it could take over a month, considering the time required to prepare supplementary documents if there are supplementary requests.
※ If the expected issuance date is provided, it is interpreted as a very favorable condition. Usually, the expected issuance date is not indicated. If not indicated, it is interpreted as an intention to review, and the time until approval can be thought of as a minimum of 2 weeks up to a month.
In the case of a company like this, as a foreign investment corporation, it has the flexibility to invite with a D-8 visa as long as the foreign investment amount (capital) on the foreign investment corporation registration certificate exceeds 4.3 billion KRW. However, since the decision was not made to dispatch an employee internally but rather to hire, the process was carried out using an E-7 visa.
※ In the case of a foreign investment corporation, for each 100 million KRW of foreign investment amount (capital), one D-8 visa invitation is possible, and for each 1 billion KRW of tax payment performance or sales of 10 billion KRW, one D-8 visa invitation is possible.
※ When inviting foreign employees in a foreign investment corporation, whether to proceed with D-8 or E-7 depends on whether it is dispatching or hiring. If there is a dispatch order, you can prepare the dispatch order and apply for a D-8 visa. If there is a hiring decision, you can attach the employment contract and apply for an E-7 visa.
Now, let's explore the target and requirements for plant engineering technicians with an E-7 visa.
E-7 Visa - Plant Engineering Technician
❍ (Job Description)
- Engaged in tasks such as bidding, design, construction, and supervision for the construction of factories and large-scale facilities.
❍ (Examples of Possible Occupations)
Industrial facility plant design technician, power plant facility design technician, environmental facility plant design technician, automation facility plant design technician, industrial facility design technician, wastewater treatment facility design technician, chemical plant design technician, industrial equipment plant engineering technician, water treatment system plant design technician, specialized equipment technician in the shipbuilding field (insulation, refrigeration technology, etc.).
❍ (Issuance of Employment Recommendation Letter)
- Construction Industry: Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Overseas Construction Policy Division)
- Occupations other than construction: Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (KOTRA) Special equipment and manufacturing technicians (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; Marine Plant Division)
- (Mandatory, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy; Marine Plant Division)
❍ (Qualification Requirements, Visa Issuance, and Stay Management, etc.) Apply general standards.