Working Visit
- Holders · 2024-12
- 93,302
- Arrivals · 2026-06
- 2,165 -64.4% YoY
- Subtypes
- 24
- Top nationality
- Korean-Chinese (조선족) 79,821
The H-2 (Working Visit) visa covers 24 designated subtypes including 연고방취(H-2-1), 유학방취(H-2-2), 자진방취(H-2-3). 93,302 foreign nationals held it as of the latest MOJ cross-tab (2024-12-31; all sojourners, including short-term), with Korean-Chinese (조선족) the largest group (79,821). Application and extension fees are listed with legal citations on the official fee table.
From the MOJ manual · as of 2026-07-31Who qualifies & how
Eligibility. Work-and-visit status for overseas Koreans from China and CIS countries. New H-2 visa issuance was discontinued on 2026-02-12, when the H-2/F-4 dual track was unified into F-4; the rules below apply to people who entered on H-2 visas issued before that date.
Work rights. Simple-labor employment within the permitted scope: positive list for agriculture, forestry, fishery, mining, manufacturing (SME limits) and construction; negative list for service industries. Work requires job training and job-seeking registration; the first employment and every workplace change must be reported within 15 days (fine up to KRW 1 million); employers need a special employment permit after a 15-day national-recruitment effort.
Duration. Alien registration grants up to 3 years (1 year without Korean-ability proof).
Extension. With the MOEL 'employment-period expiry extension' confirmation, extension within 4 years 10 months from entry (official extensions to 6 years possible in disasters). Change from another status into H-2 is not permitted.
Pathways. H-2 → F-4 under the unified overseas-Korean status (special route for 4+ years' service in manufacturing and similar industries); H-2 workers meeting the statutory conditions → F-5 (category 12).
ChecklistRequired documents
- Alien registration (within 90 days of entry): passport, 1 color photo, registration application, fee, early-adaptation program certificate
- Health certificate issued by an MOJ-designated hospital at registration
- Korean-language ability proof (determines the period granted) and overseas criminal-record certificate per the MOJ annex standards
- Employment-start report (within 15 days): special-employment-permit copy, standard labor contract copy, employer business registration
Fees: change of status ₩100,000. The full table with legal citations is on /fees.
Violations: single fine of KRW 5 million+, or KRW 7 million+ within 3 years, or 3+ fines in 3 years lead to refusal of stay and departure.
Official taxonomySubtypes (24)
| Code | Name (한국어) | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| H-2-1 | 연고방취(H-2-1) | 취업목적연고자또는국가유공자 |
| H-2-2 | 유학방취(H-2-2) | 유학생의부모또는배우자 |
| H-2-3 | 자진방취(H-2-3) | 2006년자진출국자 |
| H-2-4 | 연수방취(H-2-4) | 연수취업후자진귀국자 |
| H-2-5 | 추첨방취(H-2-5) | 한국말시험등으로선발된자 |
| H-2-6 | 변경방취(H-2-6) | 무연고동포연수후자격변경자 |
| H-2-7 | 만기방취(H-2-7) | 만기출국자재입국자 |
| H-2-11 | 연고방취(H-2-11) | 취업목적연고자또는국가유공자 |
| H-2-12 | 연고방취(H-2-12) | 취업외목적연고자또는국가유공자 |
| H-2-21 | 유학방취(H-2-21) | 취업목적유학생의부모또는배우자 |
| H-2-22 | 유학방취(H-2-22) | 취업외목적유학생의부모또는배우자 |
| H-2-31 | 자진방취(H-2-31) | 취업목적 2006년자진출국자 |
| H-2-32 | 자진방취(H-2-32) | 취업외목적 2006년자진출국자 |
| H-2-41 | 연수방취(H-2-41) | 취업목적연수취업후자진귀국자 |
| H-2-42 | 연수방취(H-2-42) | 취업외목적연수취업후자진귀국자 |
| H-2-51 | 추첨방취(H-2-51) | 취업목적한국말시험등으로선발된자 |
| H-2-52 | 추첨방취(H-2-52) | 취업외목적한국말시험등으로선발된자 |
| H-2-61 | 변경방취(H-2-61) | 취업목적무연고동포연수후자격변경자 |
| H-2-62 | 변경방취(H-2-62) | 취업외목적무연고동포연수후자격변경자 |
| H-2-71 | 만기방취(H-2-71) | 취업목적만기출국자재입국자 |
| H-2-72 | 변경방취(H-2-72) | 취업외목적무연고동포연수후자격변경자 |
| H-2-91 | 기타방취(H-2-91) | 취업목적기타(자격변경자포함) |
| H-2-92 | 기타방취(H-2-92) | 취업외목적기타(자격변경자포함) |
| H-2-99 | 기타방취(H-2-99) | 기타(자격변경자포함) |
Who holds itH-2 holders by nationality
| Nationality | Registered holders | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Korean-Chinese (조선족) 한국계중국인 | 79,821 | 85.6% |
| Uzbekistan 우즈베키스탄 | 7,666 | 8.2% |
| Kazakhstan 카자흐스탄 | 4,615 | 4.9% |
| Kyrgyz Republic 키르기즈 | 658 | 0.7% |
| Ukraine 우크라이나 | 457 | 0.5% |
| Tajikistan 타지키스탄 | 70 | 0.1% |
| Turkmenistan 투르크메니스탄 | 8 | 0.0% |
| Koryo-saram (Russia) 한국계러시아인 | 7 | 0.0% |
TrendMonthly arrivals on the H-2
In 2026-06, 2,165 people entered Korea on an H-2 visa, down 64.4% from a year earlier.
| Month | Arrivals | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-07 | 6,936 | |
| 2025-08 | 7,417 | |
| 2025-09 | 7,290 | |
| 2025-10 | 8,007 | |
| 2025-11 | 5,809 | |
| 2025-12 | 4,755 | |
| 2026-01 | 5,114 | |
| 2026-02 | 6,978 | |
| 2026-03 | 8,382 | |
| 2026-04 | 4,040 | |
| 2026-05 | 2,985 | |
| 2026-06 | 2,165 |
Verified against source · 2026-08-17