To briefly describe the F27 visa, it is a points-based visa for highly skilled talents, where application is possible if the total score is 80 points or above. The applicants are divided into a total of 5 categories, provided they do not fall under any disqualifying reasons. Additionally, potential high-skilled talents (F-2-7S) can apply regardless of their score if they meet separate criteria.
The F27 high-skilled talent scorecard can be checked at the link below↓
Target of F27 Visa Applicants
1. Employees of Publicly Listed Companies
① Foreigners employed or with confirmed employment contracts with companies listed on the domestic stock market (KOSPI) or KOSDAQ.
② Foreigners employed or with confirmed employment contracts in occupations classified under the 'Korean Standard Occupational Classification' announced by the Statistics Korea as managers, professionals, and related workers.
2. Employees in Promising Industrial Fields
① Foreigners employed or with confirmed employment contracts in industrial sectors such as IT and technology management, nano digital electronics, bio, transportation and machinery, new materials, environment, and energy as defined by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's notice on "Advanced Technology and Products."
② The previous year's income on the Certificate of Income Amount must be at least 1.5 times the per capita GNI (For prospective employees, the annual salary stated in the employment contract is considered).
3. Professional Workers ****
① Registered foreigners with any residency status from professor (E-1) to specialized professionals (E-7-1), or from press coverage (D-5) to trade management (D-9).
※ Excluding workers in hotels, tourism, entertainment businesses (E-6-2), semi-professionals, general skills, skilled workers (E-7-2, E-7-3, E-7-4).
② Must have legally stayed continuously for more than 3 years under the professional residency status listed above at the time of application and meet the residency requirements for extension.
③ However, the residency period requirement (3 years) is waived if one of the following applies
- The annual income amount on the Certificate of Income Amount is over 40 million won.
- Recognized by the Minister of Justice as a participant in a project to attract foreign talents in science and engineering, with a recommendation from the head of a central administrative agency.
4. Study Achievers ****
① Legal residents who have acquired a master's degree or higher in regular courses in Korea (D-2, D-10 regardless) and have confirmed employment or are employed in occupations eligible for residency status from professor (E-1) to specialized professionals (E-7-1), or from press coverage (D-5) to trade management (D-9) within 5 years from the date of degree acquisition. ※ Excluding workers in hotels, tourism, entertainment businesses (E-6-2), semi-professionals, general skills, skilled workers (E-7-2, E-7-3, E-7-4). ② Foreign nationals who have acquired a regular bachelor's degree or higher in Korea and received a recommendation from the head of a central administrative agency as outstanding talents from Korean War participant countries. - National of a participant country (20 points) and government recommendation (20 points) apply a maximum of 40 additional points, and a 3-year residency status is granted even if employment is not confirmed at the time of status change. - At the time of residency extension, 20 points (for outstanding talents from participant countries) are granted, but score requirements and residency extension criteria must be met.
5. Potential High-Skilled Talents (F-2-7S)
① Individuals who have acquired or are expected to acquire a master's or doctoral degree from specialized universities and research institutions in science and engineering.
- Foreigners who have obtained a master's or doctoral degree from specialized universities and research institutions in science and engineering can change their residency status to long-term residence (F-2-75, up to 5 years) without meeting the score requirements if they have a recommendation letter from the university president, even if they do not have confirmed employment in domestic companies.
- Granted a 2-year residency period (extendable up to 5 years).
- After 5 years from the initial permission date, score requirements and residency extension criteria must be met for extension.
As reviewed, there are a total of 5 categories for applicants,
Most apply for the F27 visa as 3 - Professional Workers or 4 - Study Achievers.
Employment Activities of the F-2-7 Visa Spouse |
The F27 visa, being a points-based high-skilled talent visa, provides benefits to the principal holder's accompanying family (spouse and minor children). They can change their existing visas to the F-2-71 visa. The F-2-71 visa, like other F2 visas, allows free employment activities.
※ Of course, employment in areas restricted by the Immigration Control Act (entertainment bars, massage parlors, gambling businesses, youth harmful establishments, etc.) is excluded. However, for the F-2-71 visa, the principal holder (F-2-7 visa holder) must meet the annual income requirement for the accompanying family to apply for the F-2-71 visa.
※ Annual income requirement (at least 1 times the GNI in 2023 = more than 42.2 million won) ※ Accompanying family can apply for F-2-71 simultaneously when the principal holder applies for F-2-7.
※ Korean War participant outstanding talents: 20 points additional score and grant of F-2-71 to accompanying family even if the principal holder's previous year's income is below per capita GNI. Therefore, the spouse's employment activities depend on whether the principal holder (F-2-7 visa holder) meets the annual income requirement. If the principal holder does not meet the annual income requirement and receives an F-2-7 visa, the principal holder's spouse and minor children must change their existing visas to F-1-12 instead of F-2-71. The F-1-12 visa, like other F1 visas, generally restricts employment activities. ※ Exceptions are made for those granted permission for activities not covered by their residency status. If the principal holder as 3 - professional worker applies for an F27 visa as a 3) Professional Worker with existing income, preparing in advance allows the principal holder, spouse, and minor children to apply for the F 2-71 visa simultaneously. However, for 4) Study Achievers applying directly from D2, D10 to F27, current income may be insufficient, being either from internships or part-time employment. Therefore, for those applying from D2, D10 to F27, accompanying family members must apply for F-1-12. (Most applications from D2, D10 to F27 meet the 80 points requirement without income points, based on their education, Korean language ability, degrees from prestigious universities, etc.) However, if the principal holder does not meet the income requirement when applying for the F27 visa and the accompanying family receives an F-1-12 visa instead of F-2-71, once the principal holder meets the income requirement through employment activities, the accompanying family's visa can also be changed from F-1-12 to F-2-71. Moreover, as the F27 visa is a points-based visa, the extension also depends on the current score (combined score or income score) of the F27 visa holder.
Extension Criteria for F27 Visa Holders and Accompanying Family
1. Points-Based High-Skilled Talent (F-2-7)
① Must not fall under any disqualifying reasons.
② The total score on the score table must be 80 points or above.
※ The residency period is granted differentially, applying the more favorable score between the combined score or the annual income score.
Combined Score | Annual Income Score | |
130 points | 50 points or more | 5 years |
120~129 points | 45 points or more | 3 years |
110~119 points | 40 points or more | 2 years |
80~109 points | 30 points or less | 1 year |
③ (Grace period granted) Even if the acquired score is below 80 points, if the current employment get paid above the minimum wage, a 1-year extension is granted as a grace period (the spouse and minor children maintain the F-2-71 status for the same period).
④ (Extension limit based on annual income) Regardless of whether the combined score is 80 points or above, if unemployed or earning below the minimum wage at the time of residency extension application, a 6-month extension is permitted twice (the spouse and minor children maintain the F-2-71 status), and if the income requirement is not met on the third time, the extension is denied, and a change to job-seeking (D-10, up to 1 year) status is allowed (the spouse and minor children are granted accompanying (F-3) status).
⑤ If unable to meet the income requirement due to pregnancy, childbirth, or parental leave, a 1-year extension is granted from the expiration date of the residency, and the spouse and minor children of the F-2 resident also extend their residency status and period to match the principal holder.
⑥ If the extension of the residency period is denied for the principal holder (F-2-7, F-2-7S), the extension of the residency period for the corresponding spouse and minor children (F-2-71 or F-1-12) is also denied simultaneously.
⑦ If employed in a restricted employment area within 3 years prior to the application date, the residency permit is denied (cancelled).
⑧ If employed in a job that could negatively affect the domestic labor market or socio-economic order within 6 months prior to the application date, the permit and residency period are granted differently depending on the case.
2. Spouse and Minor Children of a Points-Based High-Skilled Talent Residing under (F-2-71)
① Applicant (spouse and minor children of the high-skilled talent) requirements - Must be legally residing in the country - Must not fall under any disqualifying reasons - Must not have been employed in occupations that could negatively affect the domestic labor market or socio-economic order ② Principal holder (high-skilled talent resident) requirements - The total score for each evaluation item of the points-based system must be 80 points or above - The annual income must be above the per capita Gross National Income (GNI) announced by the Bank of Korea for the previous year
3. Visiting Cohabitants (F-1-12) as the Spouse and Minor Children of a Points-Based High-Skilled Talent
- Meet all requirements of F-2-71 except for the annual income requirement of the principal holder being above per capita GNI
- At the time of extension, if the principal holder's annual income meets the requirement of being above per capita GNI, a change to F-2-71 status can be applied for
(Note, the existing extension application must be changed to a status change application)