A domestic company has requested my assistance in obtaining an E7 visa to invite a foreign helicopter mechanic.
The inviting company operates an aviation business, owning multiple helicopters manufactured in countries such as France and Russia. They are contracted by local governments to perform public duties like wildfire suppression, pesticide spraying, and insulator cleaning.
The invitee is a French national helicopter mechanic with relevant certifications and nearly 20 years of experience, making him a veteran in the field.
※ Regardless of the amount of experience, if a career certificate cannot be issued, the applicant’s experience is considered non-existent. Additionally, if the career certificate is issued overseas, it must be officially verified (apostille or consular confirmation). This ensures that the document holds legal validity when applying for the E7 visa.
The invitee met the basic requirements for applying for the E7 visa as he held relevant certifications and had a career certificate proving over 8 years of experience.
However, since the E7 visa involves discretionary judgment by the examiner, we requested the invitee to also send his academic degree with an apostille to Korea to strengthen the application. Upon reviewing the degree sent by the invitee, I noticed it lacked the school name. Feeling suspicious, I inquired further.
※ It was confirmed that, in the past, many free public universities in France did not have distinct names to avoid discrimination and were categorized by regions.
The job applied for is an E-7-3 aircraft mechanic.
For aircraft mechanics, a recommendation letter issued by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) is a mandatory submission document when applying for the E7 visa.
However, MOLIT does not issue a written employment recommendation for this job (aircraft mechanic). If MOLIT recommends the employment of the foreigner, the immigration office verifies it electronically.
There are no specific conditions set for receiving the employment recommendation. The decision is made after reviewing the following documents submitted to MOLIT.
E7 Visa E-7-3 Aircraft Mechanic Employment Recommendation Documents from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport
1. Copy of the applicant’s passport
2. Relevant aircraft mechanic certifications
3. Accident-free certificate (proof of accident history)
4. Criminal record certificate (overseas criminal history certificate)
5. Work experience certificate (related to aircraft maintenance)
6. Employment contract (signed and sealed by both the inviting company and the invitee)
Next, an explanation of the aircraft mechanic occupation is provided.
E7 Visa E-7-3 Aircraft Mechanic Target and Requirements
(Job Description)
- Responsible for assembling, adjusting, and maintaining the power plant, landing gear, control systems, airframe, hydraulic and pneumatic systems of aircraft (including helicopters) to ensure safe operation.
Responsible for assembling, adjusting, and maintaining the power plant, landing gear, control systems, airframe, hydraulic and pneumatic systems of aircraft (including helicopters) to ensure safe operation. This includes identifying faults, their scope, and extent.
(Examples of Possible Jobs) Airplane mechanic, helicopter mechanic
(Employment Recommendation Issuance) Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (Aviation Technology Department) ※ Mandatory
(Qualification Requirements) General requirements apply
(Visa Issuance) Single-entry visa with a maximum stay of 2 years
(Residency Management, etc.) General standards apply
