Moving from study or a working holiday into a full-time job, or changing employers on a work visa, starts with the status the new role requires. Beginning work before the permission is granted can be treated as unauthorized employment, so put the immigration steps ahead of the start date, not after it.
Where you are moving from
- D-2 student into a professional role — graduating into a job usually means considering an E-7 change
- E-2 language instructor into another field — moving to IT or similar generally needs a new status rather than a transfer of the existing one
- H-1 working holiday into a permanent offer — the offer has to qualify for an employment status before regular work begins
Check your current status, its expiry, and whether your degree or experience matches the role through HiKorea. If your case is unclear, call the Immigration Contact Center on 1345.
What you prepare with the employer
- An employment contract stating start date, term, salary and duties
- Employer evidence — business registration and any tax or financial documents requested
- Your own qualifications — degree, graduation and career certificates, plus occupation-specific evidence
- The application form, passport, residence card, and the fee
Timing and the thing people get wrong
Start coordinating with HR one to two months before your current stay expires where possible. Required documents and eligibility vary with the employer's size and industry, foreign-worker rules, and your own education and experience. Fees and whether you can file online also differ by status.
Filing an application is not the same as being approved. Whether you may work while it is pending is a separate question, and it is the one people assume their way through.
What to check now
- Your current status and expiry date
- The status code the new role requires
- Whether you may work before approval — HiKorea or 1345
Requirements differ case by case, so current guidance from HiKorea or 1345 takes priority. The full version is on the WeBring blog.