Mitra KoreaE-7-4 200 Points: The Order to Raise Your Score Within 1 Year
With the pre-assessment test, you can get 50 points for Korean in one month. A 기능사 certificate (20 points) takes about half a year. This guide puts the fastest items first in a 12-month plan.
At a glance
- For E-7-4 you need 200 out of 300 points. You also need at least 50 points for income and at least 50 points for Korean. The full requirements and score table are in the E-7-4 guide and the score calculator.
- You can get these points the fastest: Korean 50 points (a score of 41–60 on the KIIP pre-assessment) and driver's license 10 points. KIIP is 사회통합프로그램 (Korea Immigration and Integration Program), and the pre-assessment (사전평가) is its level test. You can get both done, with results, within one month.
- 기능사 (national technical certificate, Craftsman level) 20 points: the written and practical tests together usually take 4–6 months. Employer recommendation 30 points: everything depends on convincing your company.
- The grace period for the Korean requirement ends on December 31, 2026. After that, you cannot apply at all without 50 points for Korean.
- Income, age, and years of work are hard to change within 1 year. Make your plan starting with "the things you can change."
When does this apply to you
- You worked 4 years or more on E-9, E-10, or H-2 (within the last 10 years), and you have worked at your current company for 1 year or more.
- You used the calculator and got 150–199 points, so you need only a few more points.
- You are in your 3rd year now, but you want to apply on the day you reach 4 years.
Items in "easiest to raise" order
All points are based on the 2026 score table of 법무부 (Ministry of Justice). The calculator uses the same table.
| Order | Item | Points | Time needed | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korean — KIIP pre-assessment 41–60 points / TOPIK level 2 | 50 | About 1 month after you apply | The pre-assessment has a regular test once a month, and the CBT (computer test) is available at any time. Results come about 2 weeks later |
| 2 | Driver's license, Class 2 Ordinary (2종 보통) or higher | +10 | 2–8 weeks | See the driver's license guide. Exchanging your home country license is the fastest way |
| 3 | Employer recommendation | +30 | Depends on the company's decision | The 추천서 (recommendation letter) is also an application requirement. Tell your company early |
| 4 | Higher Korean — pre-assessment 61–80 / TOPIK level 3 | 50→80 | 3–6 months of study | A 30-point difference. This is the most efficient "second Korean" step |
| 5 | 기능사 (or 기사, 산업기사, or a Korean university degree) | +20 | 4–6 months | See the 기능사 guide. A pass on the written test stays valid for 2 years |
| 6 | Top Korean — pre-assessment 81 points / TOPIK level 4 / KIIP level 4 | 80→120 | 1 year or more | 40 more points. A long-term goal |
| 7 | 3 years at your current workplace / 3 years in a population-decline area or a 읍·면 (town or rural township) | +20 each | Only time solves this | You get these points if you stay at your workplace and wait. Use the company's address to check if the area counts |
| 8 | Move up to a higher income bracket | 50→65→80… | Slow, because it uses a 2-year average | 3,000만 원 (30 million won) or more gives 65 points. Your income including overtime pay is what counts |
| — | Age | Age 19–26: 40 / 27–33: 60 / 34–40: 30 / 41 and older: 10 | Cannot change | Time your application so you apply before a birthday moves you to a different age bracket |
Avoiding point deductions is also a way to raise your score. These items each cost points: fines (under 100만 원 (1 million won)), unpaid taxes, and breaking the 출입국관리법 (Immigration Act), including 과태료 (administrative fines). Only cases in the last 10 years count. Each item costs −5 for 1 time, −10 for 2 times, and −15 to −20 for 3 times. The total maximum is −50 points. If you extend your stay period even one day late, you get an administrative fine, and that becomes a deduction.
Calculation examples
- Age 30, yearly income 2,700만 원, no Korean score, has company recommendation: age 60 + income 50 + recommendation 30 = 140 points. Korean is 0 points, so this person cannot apply. → With 41 or more on the pre-assessment (50 points), the total is 190 points. Add a driver's license (+10), and the total is 200 points.
- Age 37, yearly income 2,600만 원, pre-assessment score 45, has recommendation: age 30 + income 50 + Korean 50 + recommendation 30 = 160 points. → Add 기능사 (+20), a driver's license (+10), and 3 years at the current workplace (+20), and the total is 210 points.
12-month plan (October 2026 – September 2027)
The test dates below are the official dates announced as of October 9, 2026. Later dates are not announced yet: the 2027 기능사 test rounds on 큐넷 (Q-Net, the national certificate test website) and TOPIK dates from the 2nd round on. When they are announced, check them on Q-Net and topik.go.kr.
| Month | What to do | Applications and tests (confirmed dates) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10 | Check your current score with the calculator. Ask your company if they will recommend you. Apply for KIIP pre-assessment round 7 | Pre-assessment round 7: apply 10/13–17, test 10/31 |
| 2026-11 | Take the pre-assessment (round 7 or 8). Prepare for the license exchange or the driving test | Pre-assessment round 8: apply 11/3–7, test 11/21 · TOPIK 109th test 11/15 (registration closed) · 기능사 regular round 4 practical test 11/14–12/2 |
| 2026-12 | The Korean grace period ends 12/31. If you have 150 points or more, this is the last month you can apply under the grace period. Check the 2027 Q-Net test plan announcement | TOPIK 108th results 12/10, 109th results 12/22 · Pre-assessment round 8 results in early December |
| 2027-01 | Choose your 기능사 field and start studying for the written test. If you take TOPIK 110th (in Korea), it is in January | TOPIK 110th PBT (paper test) 1/10 · 기능사 regular round 1 written test applications are usually in early January (in 2026: 1/6–1/9) |
| 2027-02 | 기능사 round 1 written test (check the Q-Net schedule). TOPIK IBT 17th | TOPIK IBT 17th 2/20 (in Korea) |
| 2027-03 | Apply for the 기능사 practical test and practice. For Korean, study with the goal of TOPIK level 3 or 61 points on the pre-assessment | Check the Q-Net announcement |
| 2027-04 | 기능사 round 1 practical test | Check the Q-Net announcement |
| 2027-05 | 기능사 results come out. If you fail, apply for the round 2 practical test (your written test pass stays valid for 2 years) | Check the Q-Net announcement |
| 2027-06 | Prepare proof of income: 소득금액증명 (income certificate) from 홈택스 (Hometax, the National Tax Service website), and 2 years of 급여명세서 (pay slips) | — |
| 2027-07 | Check the dates when you reach 4 years of stay and 1 year at your company. Discuss contract terms with your company: yearly salary of 2,600만 원 or more, for 2 years or more | — |
| 2027-08 | Check your record of fines, unpaid taxes, and administrative fines (deal with deductions). Get the recommendation letter | — |
| 2027-09 | Apply for a change of status to E-7-4 through 하이코리아 (Hi Korea, the government immigration website) online application (전자민원) | — |
What to prepare
- The calculator result screen (with notes for each score item)
- 외국인등록증 (Alien Registration Card), passport, 2 years of 급여명세서 or 소득금액증명
- Proof of Korean: pre-assessment score (print it from socinet/kiiptest.org), TOPIK score report, or a KIIP level completion certificate
- 기능사 certificate, copy of your driver's license
- Employer 추천서, 재직증명서 (certificate of employment), copy of 사업자등록증 (business registration certificate) (the company prepares these)
- 납세증명서 (tax payment certificate) to show you have no unpaid taxes (from 세무서 (tax office) or 홈택스)
Things to be careful about
- The grace period lasts until 2026-12-31. It is a special rule. Under it, you can apply without 50 points for Korean if you have 150 points or more without Korean. But there is still a condition: you must meet the Korean requirement by your first extension. From 2027, this special rule ends. If you have 150 points or more now and 0 points for Korean, think about applying before the end of December.
- The pre-assessment score is a "test result." It is not completion of a KIIP level. A score of 41–60 places you in level 2, and it counts as 50 points. The score counts even if you do not take all the level classes. But before you apply, check the 하이코리아 notices for the documents needed for the change of status.
- Income is the average of the last 2 years. Even if you get a lot of overtime pay this year, a low income last year brings the average down. The bracket limits are 2,500만, 3,000만, and 3,500만 원. If you are close to one, a difference of a few 만 원 (tens of thousands of won) can change your score by 15 points. Check your 소득금액증명 at the end of the year first.
- A central ministry recommendation and a provincial or metropolitan government recommendation: only one of them counts. The employer recommendation (+30) is separate, and it is added on top.
- If you have a birthday that changes your age bracket soon, adjust when you apply. When you go from 33 to 34, you drop from 60 points to 30 points.
- Even if you have all the points, you cannot apply if the company will not give you a 2-year contract. This is why you talk to your company first, in month 1 of the plan.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Which is faster, TOPIK or the pre-assessment? A. The pre-assessment. You can apply every month, and results come out about 2 weeks later. At CBT centers (Seoul, Gwangmyeong, Daejeon), you can also take it at any time. TOPIK takes about 3–4 months from registration to results.
Q. Do I get points for 기능사 if I passed only the written test? A. No. You need the certificate (final pass) to get 20 points. A written test pass stays valid for 2 years, so you need to pass the practical test within that time.
Q. If I exchange my Nepali driver's license for a Korean license, do I get 10 points? A. If the Korean license from the exchange is Class 2 Ordinary or higher, it meets the score table rule. Check whether you can exchange your license, and how, in the driver's license guide and with 도로교통공단 (Korea Road Traffic Authority).
Q. I will reach 4 years in 1 year. Can I start preparing now? A. Yes. You can get points for items like Korean, certificates, and a driver's license before you reach 4 years. Applying in the month you reach 4 years is the fastest way.
Q. I paid an administrative fine once last year. A. An administrative fine for breaking the 출입국관리법 is −5 points for 1 time. It is not a serious problem, but you need to make up 5 points with other items. If you keep the deadlines for extensions and reports from now on, the deduction will not grow.
Where to get help
| Organization | Contact | What for |
|---|---|---|
| 외국인종합안내센터 (Immigration Contact Center) | 1345 | Questions about E-7-4 requirements, documents, and the grace period |
| 하이코리아 | hikorea.go.kr | Notices, online applications |
| 사회통합프로그램 (KIIP) | socinet.go.kr · kiiptest.org | Pre-assessment applications and results |
| TOPIK | topik.go.kr | Registration, score check |
| 큐넷 (Q-Net, 한국산업인력공단 (HRD Korea)) | q-net.or.kr · 1644-8000 | 기능사 schedule and applications |
| Score calculator | /ne/tools/e74 | Calculate your score right away |
Related articles: E-7-4 requirements and points system · 기능사 20 points · KIIP guide · TOPIK and EPS-TOPIK · Fines, administrative fines, and visa points