🌏 Verified Korean Companies That Sponsor Work Visas
(By Industry / Hiring Trends / Foreigner-Friendly Workplaces)
Many foreigners ask:
“Which companies in Korea actually give out work visas?”The truth: Not all companies can.
Only certain employers — those registered for foreign labor certification — can legally sponsor E-7, E-2, or D-10 → E-7 conversions.
Here’s a categorized guide based on real hiring data and industry practices in Korea.
🖥️ IT / TECH SECTOR
The tech industry is Korea’s most open domain for foreign professionals — especially software engineers, data scientists, and AI experts.
| Company | Overview | Why It's Foreginer-Friendly |
| NAVER Corporation | Korea’s top search and cloud platform | Hires globally for AI, backend, NLP roles; English-speaking teams |
| Kakao Corp. | Messaging + fintech + mobility giant | Has dedicated “Global Recruitment” program; supports E-7 & F visas |
| LINE Plus | International tech subsidiary of Naver | Uses English as working language; sponsors relocation & visa |
| Coupang | Korea's top e-commerce + streaming + etc | Uses English as working lanuage; Hires globally for logistics & IT roles |
💡 Pro tip: These companies recruit via LinkedIn + official career pages, not just JobKorea.
💬 Insider’s Comment (from a current employee)
I currently working at one of the companies listed above, I can confirm that the environment is genuinely global. In my team, around 50% of the members are foreigners, and many leadership positions are also held by non-Korean managers. We communicate primarily in English, and there is a dedicated in-house interpretation team that supports cross-language meetings and documents.
Because of that, even when collaborating with Korean-speaking colleagues, there are no real communication barriers — making it a comfortable and inclusive workplace for international employees.
🧠 EDUCATION / LANGUAGE
The education field offers steady demand for native English speakers and bilingual instructors under E-2 and E-7 visas.
| Company | Overview | Visa Type |
| YBM Education | Operates nationwide English institutes | E-2 visa sponsorship for English teachers |
| Chungdahm Learning (CDI) | Prestigious English academies | E-2 visa + housing & insurance |
| Pagoda Academy | Long-standing adult language brand | E-2 and sometimes E-7 for corporate instructors |
💡 Tip: For these jobs, native-English passport is usually required.
Non-native speakers can apply for E-7 “Education Service” with degree + experience.
💼 BUSINESS / MARKETING / GLOBAL SALES
Korean companies expanding overseas actively hire foreigners for market development and multilingual communication.
| Company | Filed | Visa Type |
| CJ Logistics (CJ대한통운) | Global supply chain & trade | E-7 (International sales, logistics ops) |
| Amorepacific | Beauty & skincare | E-7 (Marketing, branding, foreign PR) |
| LG International Corp. | Trading / global export-import | E-7 (Foreign trade specialists) |
💡 Many of these positions require:
- English or target-market language fluency
- BA degree
- At least 1-year relevant experience
🧬 ENGINEERING / MANUFACTURING
Engineers and industrial specialists are highly sought after under E-7 technical categories.
| Company | Sector | Key Roles |
| Samsung Engineering | Construction & plant | Process, civil, electrical engineers |
| Hyundai Heavy Industries | Shipbuilding & energy | Naval architecture, mechanical |
| Doosan Enerbility | Machinery & power | E-7 visas for R&D, manufacturing tech |
💡 Visa Tip:
Engineering roles usually require degree alignment (major = job field).
These firms provide document support + visa extension assistance.
🧑🎨 CREATIVE / CONTENT / MEDIA
Korea’s entertainment and creative industries are growing fast and hiring more international talent.
| Company | Focus | Roles |
| CJ ENM | Media & entertainment | Global marketing, production, digital media |
| Hybe (BTS Label) | K-pop & content | Localization, translation, design |
| WEMAKEPRICE / MUSINSA | E-commerce / Fashion | Global PR, UX/UI design, content writing |
💡 English proficiency and digital skills are key.
Some roles hire under E-7 or F-2.
🧑⚕️ HEALTHCARE / RESEARCH
Korea’s biotech and pharmaceutical sector increasingly welcomes foreign researchers and data analysts.
| Company | Focus | Roles |
| Celltrion | Biopharmaceutical R&D | Researcher, data scientist |
| Samsung Biologics | Biotech manufacturing | Process engineer, QA analyst |
| Seoul National University Hospital R&D Center | Medical research | Clinical data, global project manager |
💡 Foreign postgraduates with science degrees (PhD/MSc) often get E-7 or research-based D visas here.
🏨 HOSPITALITY / TRAVEL / TOURISM
With tourism rebounding post-pandemic, hotels and travel agencies again sponsor visas for multilingual staff.
| Company | Industry | Roles |
| Lotte Hotels & Resorts | Luxury hospitality | Concierge, guest relations, overseas marketing |
| HanaTour | Travel & booking platform | Sales, content, multilingual support |
| The Shilla (Samsung Group) | Luxury hotel brand | International guest services |
💡 Preferred candidates:
- Fluent in English + one more language (Chinese/Japanese)
- Experience in tourism or hospitality
- Friendly and professional demeanor
⚙️ Startups that frequently sponsor E-7 visas
| Company | Field | Why they hire foreigners |
| SendBird | Chat API platform | Global SaaS product, English-first team |
| Coupang | E-commerce giant | Hires globally for logistics & IT roles |
| Hyperconnect (acquired by Match Group) | AI video / social apps | English-only dev environment |
💡 Startups = fast visa sponsorship
They often accept D-10 → E-7 conversion within 1–2 weeks for skilled roles.
🧾 CHECKLIST BEFORE APPLYING TO SPONSORING COMPANIES
| Task | Done |
| Confirm company can issue visa (외국인 고용 신고 가능 사업자) | ☐ |
| Prepare degree + background check (apostilled) | ☐ |
| Prepare resume in English + Korean | ☐ |
| Research matching visa category (E-2 / E-7 / F-6) | ☐ |
| Ask HR directly about visa sponsorship | ☐ |
💬 How to Ask HR (Korean + English)
| English | Korean |
| “Does your company sponsor work visas?” | “취업비자 스폰이 가능한가요?” |
| “I already have all documents ready (degree, apostille, background check).” | “필요 서류는 모두 준비되어 있습니다.” |
| “Can I apply under E-7 category for this role?” | “이 포지션으로 E-7 비자 지원이 가능할까요?” |
💡 Additional Tips
✅ Use LinkedIn Korea / JobKorea / RocketPunch to track companies with past foreign hires.
✅ On JobKorea, search for “외국인 우대” (Foreigner Preferred).
✅ When possible, find foreign employees on LinkedIn from the same company — it’s a great indicator they sponsor visas.
🔑 Summary
| Domain | Top Visa-Sponsoring Companies |
| IT / Tech | Naver, Kakao, LINE, Coupang |
| Education | YBM, CDI, Pagoda |
| Business / Marketing | CJ Logistics, Amorepacific, LG Int’l |
| Engineering | Samsung Engineering, Hyundai Heavy, Doosan |
| Creative / Media | CJ ENM, Hybe, MUSINSA |
| Healthcare | Celltrion, Samsung Biologics, SNU Hospital |
| Hospitality | Lotte Hotels, HanaTour, The Shilla |
| Startups | SendBird, Hyperconnect |
These companies officially hire foreigners and have proven visa sponsorship records (E-7 / E-2 / F-series).
