Official Announcement from HiKorea regarding Income Requirements for Foreigners
1. GNI Standard for South Korea
As of March 5, 2025, in relation to the Bank of Korea’s announcement of the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita for 2024, we would like to clarify the criteria applied for residency and visa matters:
- According to our previous announcement on June 26, 2024, the GNI per capita for the previous year is determined based on the March figures published by the Bank of Korea, and will be effective from the first day of the following month until March of the next year.
- For the year 2025, the GNI per capita set for 2024, which is 49,955,000 KRW as disclosed by the Bank of Korea in March 2025, will be in effect from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
For more details, please visit HiKorea’s official announcement (Published on March 20, 2024).
2. Income Requirement Standards for E-7 Visa Holders in 2025
In accordance with Article 7, Clause 7 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Control Act, the following income requirement criteria will be effective for issuing certificates of eligibility for the Specific Activity (E-7) visa from April 1, 2025, until December 31, 2025:
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Income Requirements for Specific Activity (E-7) Visa:
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Professional Workers (E-7-1): Minimum annual income of 28.67 million KRW
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Skilled Workers (E-7-2): Minimum annual income of 25.15 million KRW
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General Skilled Workers (E-7-3): Minimum annual income of 25.15 million KRW
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Highly Skilled Workers (E-7-4): Minimum annual income of 26 million KRW
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Exemptions
The Minister of Justice may designate specific occupations where different income requirements apply to safeguard local job opportunities. -
Effective Period
From April 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
This information ensures that foreign professionals can align their applications according to the updated standards, reflecting the government’s commitment to fair immigration practices while considering the job market.