Today, I'd like to share a post about a recent case I handled involving the invitation of an employee from Uzbekistan under the E7 visa category (Investigation Specialist).
Upon receiving the request and speaking with the company's representative over the phone, I determined that this wasn't an ordinary company. In order to gain a better understanding, I decided to visit the company in person.
※ The E7 visa requires the administrative agent to have a deep understanding of the company's operations.
This is essential for selecting the appropriate business category and identifying the relevant qualifications of the applicant. Matching the company's field of work with the applicant's background is crucial for a successful visa application.)
(Selecting the right field of work and highlighting the relevant qualifications of the applicant is more important than writing a compelling business justification. This is crucial for the visa issuance process. If this part is not properly aligned, the chances of obtaining a visa are slim.)
Based on my extensive experience with inviting foreign employees under the E7 visa category, I've noticed that for cases involving the issuance of E7 working permits (such as inviting foreign workers) rather than changing the status of an existing E7 visa holder (e.g., applying for a working permit for domestic university graduates), the applicants usually come from universities overseas. As a result, I and the visa officers first review the documents submitted by the applicants, starting with the important aspect I mentioned earlier. Only after ensuring that this aspect is met do we proceed to review the employment justification letter.
The company in question was involved in tasks commissioned by public institutions related to major country policies, global new industry technologies, and overseas market research. Their specialized areas included strategic planning, analysis of overseas industrial technology policy trends, and consulting for technology commercialization. The company possessed a team of experts with practical experience in various business performance records and real-world experience in commercializing technology, as well as access to global market analysis databases and information sources for non-English speaking markets.
... To be honest, even after reviewing this information, I found it challenging to determine exactly what the company did.
As for the applicant, they had completed their undergraduate and graduate studies in Uzbekistan (Bachelor's + Master's degrees). They also had a doctoral certificate from South Korea, but not the degree itself, which meant they were considered as having a Master's degree. Their Bachelor's major was Korean language, and their Master's major was Asian studies.
Although the applicant had an impressive career (having accompanied the Uzbekistan President during their visit to South Korea and having served as the head of the presidential research institute), unfortunately, they only provided me with one career certificate. Furthermore, the certificate covered a period of less than a year, rendering it practically useless.
※ Only degree certificates are accepted; certificates of completion or graduation are not recognized.
All documents, including degree certificates and career certificates, must be apostilled or authenticated by the consulate. Even an accomplished individual with incomplete or inadequately documented career details is regarded as lacking sufficient experience.)
Now, let's take a closer look at the basic requirements for applying for an E7 visa:
Basic Requirements for E7 Visa Application
❍ General Requirements (Applicants must meet one of the following criteria):
- Possession of a master's degree or higher in a field related to the designated profession
- Possession of a bachelor's degree in a field related to the designated profession + 1 year or more of relevant work experience
- 5 years or more of work experience in a field related to the designated profession
❍ Special Requirements (Applicants must meet one of the following criteria)
- If you are graduating from a domestic 2 year college
If you are going to work in a job category related to your major, the requirement for one year or more of experience is waived if the necessity of employment is recognized.
- If you are graduating (or going to graduate) from a domestic university with a bachelor's degree or higher:
If you are going to work in a job category related to your major, the requirement for one year or more of experience is waived regardless of whether your major matches the job category.
In simpler terms ↓
◆ If you graduated from a domestic university
- If you graduated from a 2-year college
your major must match the field you intend to work in. Experience is not required.
- If you have a bachelor's degree or higher (including master's degrees)
You can apply even if your major doesn't match the field you intend to work in, as long as you can demonstrate the necessity of employment. Experience is not required.
◆ If you graduated from a foreign university
- If you have a bachelor's degree, your major must match the field you intend to work in, and you must have at least one year of relevant experience.
- If you have a master's degree or higher, your major must match the field you intend to work in, and the experience requirement is waived.
※ However, if you didn't attend a university at all and are a high school graduate, you can apply if you have at least 5 years of experience in the field you intend to work in.
It was challenging, but since client had a master's degree, you were eligible to apply. However, as mentioned in the basic requirements above, your major and the field you want to work in must match.
After a lengthy two-hour meeting with the company representative, we decided that your E7 visa category would be a "Research Specialist," considering the applicant's qualifications and the company's needs.
E7 Research Specialist
❍ (Job Description) An individual who conducts various research and analyses based on specialized knowledge in fields such as statistics, economics, and sociology in response to requests from overseas customers for overseas market expansion. analyzing the results to understand current trends and future trends. ❍ (Example of Eligible Jobs) Overseas Market Research Specialist ❍ (Letter of Recommendation for Employment) Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (KOTRA)* * Applicable to the Gold Card's 8 major fields (e-business, NT, BT, transportation machinery, digital electronics, new materials, environment/energy, technology management) ❍ (Qualification Requirements, Certificate Issuance, and Residence Management) General standards apply
If you have selected a specific job category, you must write the employment justification letter accordingly. Here, there is a part that I consider the most important based on my experience with many E7 visa applications.
That's keywords.
These keywords should be present not only in the employment justification letter but also in the company introduction section, career certificates, and the applicant's major. In other words, these keywords must be consistent.
**In simple terms, it should be clear that the applicant has a certain major or background, and the company is engaged in activities that align with these keywords.
For example, you chose the job category of Research Specialist, with keywords like "research" and "overseas market analysis." Given the applicant's background in East Asian Studies, you considered it equivalent to a sociology major for the E7 visa application. This alignment of keywords is crucial.
Now, let's take a look at the required documents for the E7 visa application for inviting overseas foreign workers
Documents Required for E7 Visa Issuance
Preparation of documents Required documents from the applicant
1. Copy of passport
2. One(1) passport size photo (white background, taken within 6 months)
3. Copy of resume (CV)
4. University degree – The degree should be with apostille confirmation or notarization from Koran consulate (needs to be matched with the particular occupation being applied)
5. Certificate of employment verification from current and previous companies – This certificate should be with apostille confirmation or notarization from Korean consulate (needs to be matched with the particular occupation being applied)
6. Copy of Chinese ID Card if the applicant is Chinese
*Documents not in English must be translated into English.
Required documents from local sponsoring office
1. Copy of employment contract
2. Letter of recommendation of employment from the head of state administration or a document which can prove the necessity of employment
3. Original corporate tax certificate
4. Original certificate of corporate tax payment
5. Original local tax payment certificate
6. Original Verification of Value Added Tax
7. Copy of business registration
8. Certificate of foreign invested company if available
9. Original certificate of corporate registration
10. List of employees who are registered with unemployment insurance
11. Letter of Guarantee – This is required for certain occupations.
12. Power of Attorney
13. Application Form
14. CEO’s ID copy
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