A Korean logistics center can hire F-5 (Permanent Residence) and F-6 (Marriage Migrant) holders, and F-2 (Residence) holders in the sub-categories set by the Enforcement Decree, for any duty, whether loading, sorting, packing or delivery. Since February 12, 2026, F-4 (Overseas Korean) holders can also be hired for loading, unloading and manual packing, but delivery jobs that remain in the Notice, such as parcel delivery drivers and supermarket delivery workers, in principle cannot be assigned to them. H-2 (Working Visit) holders can be hired only in the logistics industries allowed by the Annex to the Enforcement Decree, such as loading and parcel sorting at parcel service companies, and only through the Job Center procedure.

Cartoon illustration of a male worker in an orange work vest placing a box on a conveyor and a female worker in a navy work uniform checking parcels on a tablet, both smiling in a bright logistics center

Which visas can a logistics center hire?

StatusLogistics center hiringConditionLegal basis
F-5Any duty, including loading, sorting, packing and delivery, can be assignedPermanent residents are not bound by limits on activities or period of stay, so there is no job restriction by statusImmigration Act Article 10-3(1)
F-6Any duty can be assignedMarriage migrants have no restriction on the type of work, and the company checks that the expiry date on the card has not passedEnforcement Decree Article 23(2)3
F-2Depends on the sub-category codeSub-categories (a) to (c) and (i) to (l) have no restriction, while (d) and (f) are free only while continuing work in the field of their previous status, so check whether logistics work falls in that fieldEnforcement Decree Article 23(2)1 and 2
F-4Can be hired for loading, unloading and manual packingDuties of jobs still restricted by the Notice, such as parcel delivery worker, express courier, other delivery worker and household moving worker, in principle cannot be assignedEnforcement Decree Article 23(3), Ministry of Justice Notice No. 2026-65
H-2Can be hired only in allowed logistics industriesLimited to loading and parcel sorting at parcel service companies, inland cold storage, loading at logistics terminals and similar cases, and the company must obtain special employment confirmationEnforcement Decree Annex 1-2, Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers Article 12
D-2 (Student)Cannot be hired without permissionTo work alongside study, permission for activities outside status is needed before work starts, and the permission must match the loading or sorting work at your companyImmigration Act Article 20
E-9 (Non-professional Employment)Can be hired only with an employment permitThe Foreign Workforce Policy Committee decides which industries bring in how many workers, so ask the local Job Center whether a logistics center is coveredAct on the Employment of Foreign Workers Article 4(2)

Can loading and packing work be given to an F-4 employee?

Yes. Ministry of Justice Notice No. 2026-65, effective February 12, 2026, states in its reasons for revision that loading and unloading related elementary workers, other loading and unloading elementary workers, manual packers and manual labelers were removed from the scope of restricted employment for F-4 holders. Loading and unloading trucks, packing goods by hand and attaching labels can now be assigned to F-4 employees.

Even inside a logistics center, the following duties remain restricted jobs in Attachment 1 of the Notice and need separate checking.

  • Parcel delivery: The parcel delivery worker is described as a job that carries and hands over freight by vehicle from a terminal or branch to the final destination, with parcel drivers and parcel delivery workers as examples.
  • Express courier and delivery agency work: The express courier delivers small parcels directly to the recipient without going through the logistics delivery system.
  • Supermarket and department store delivery: The examples for other delivery workers include supermarket and department store delivery workers.
  • Household moving: The household moving worker carries out transport work such as packing, loading and unloading household goods, and unlike general loading work it remains a restricted job.
  • Building cleaning: Building cleaner is also a restricted job, so hiring someone only to clean the center needs separate checking.

The Notice directs that detailed duties be checked against the index terms of the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations. If the job name is unclear, check which occupation in that classification matches the work actually assigned. Writing the main duties, such as “loading”, “sorting” or “packing”, in an F-4 employee’s employment contract makes it easier to show that delivery work was not assigned.

Which logistics companies can an H-2 (Working Visit) holder work for?

Annex 1-2 of the Enforcement Decree, which sets the scope of activities for H-2 holders, in principle excludes land transport and warehousing and transport support services, and allows only the following fields as exceptions.

  • Parcel services: Working as a loading and unloading related elementary worker or freight sorter at a company running a parcel service business under the Act on the Development of the Living Logistics Service Industry
  • Cold and frozen storage: Working at a company located inland
  • Logistics terminal operation: Working as a loading and unloading related elementary worker
  • Air and land cargo handling: Working at a company that transports meat, or working as a loading and unloading related elementary worker or freight sorter at a company running a parcel service business
  • Aircraft loading: Working as a loading and unloading related elementary worker at a company doing aircraft loading business under the Aviation Business Act

General warehouse operators and freight transport companies not on this list are outside the H-2 scope of activities. Even at the same parcel company, delivery work that is not loading, unloading or freight sorting is not allowed. The answer depends on the company’s industry classification, so check the business type and the actual business first.

Even in an allowed industry, a company that wants to employ an H-2 holder must, under Article 12 of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, file a domestic job offer and, if it still cannot hire after the job placement service, obtain special employment confirmation from the head of the employment security office. It must hire from people registered on the foreign job seeker list and report to the employment security office once the worker starts.

Can a logistics center use E-9 workers?

To use E-9 workers, the company must obtain an employment permit from the Job Center. Under Article 4(2) of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, the Foreign Workforce Policy Committee under the Prime Minister deliberates and decides which industries bring in how many foreign workers, and under Article 5 the Minister of Employment and Labor announces the admission plan containing these by March 31 every year. The same logistics work may or may not qualify depending on that year’s plan. Before applying, check with the local Job Center whether the company’s industry is covered this year.

What should I check when hiring someone who worked at another logistics center?

Statuses with no designated workplace, such as F-4, F-5 and F-6, need no separate permission when the holder changes companies. By contrast, a holder of a status with a designated workplace, such as E-7 (Special Occupation), may work only at the designated workplace under Article 18(2) of the Immigration Act, and Article 21(2) prohibits employing a foreigner who has not received permission to change workplace. An applicant who needs permission should start work only after permission to change workplace to your company is issued. However, persons with professional knowledge, skills or abilities specified by Presidential Decree report within 15 days from the date of the change instead of obtaining permission, so first check which case applies. Under Article 12(7) of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, this workplace change provision does not apply to H-2 workers, who follow the Job Center reporting procedure instead.

Steps

  1. Check the status: At the interview, check the status code and the period of stay on the Alien Registration Card or Domestic Residence Report Card.
  2. Match the duties: For an F-4 holder, check that the duties are not parcel delivery, delivery work, household moving or building cleaning, and write the main duties in the employment contract.
  3. Check the industry: To use an H-2 holder, check that the company’s industry classification falls under parcel services, cold and frozen storage, logistics terminal operation or another field allowed by Annex 1-2.
  4. Job Center procedure: To use H-2 or E-9 workers, file a domestic job offer with the local Job Center and go through special employment confirmation or the employment permit procedure.
  5. Check permission before the first day: Check that a student’s permission for activities outside status matches work at your company, and for E-7 and other designated-workplace applicants whether workplace change permission or a change report applies, before setting the first working day.

This article was checked as of November 10, 2026 against the original texts of the Immigration Act, its Enforcement Decree and Annex 1-2, the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers, and Ministry of Justice Notice No. 2026-65 on the National Law Information Center.

Frequently asked questions

Can an F-4 employee who does loading sometimes do deliveries too?

In principle, delivery work should not be assigned. The parcel delivery worker in Attachment 1 of the Notice is a job that carries and hands over freight by vehicle from a terminal or branch to the final destination, so assigning delivery can fall within the restriction even if the main job is loading.

If the logistics center is in a depopulation area, can an F-4 employee do deliveries?

Yes, under conditions. F-4 holders who reside in a city, county or district covered by the region-specific visa program set by the Minister of Justice, or who work within the metropolitan city or province containing their residence, are not bound by the restrictions in Attachments 1 and 2. Even then, the restriction in item (b) of the general standard, such as working at a gambling business or as an entertainment worker at an entertainment bar, still applies.

Can a general warehouse company hire an H-2 holder?

No, if the company’s industry classification is general warehousing. Annex 1-2 of the Enforcement Decree allows, within warehousing and transport support services, only the specified cases of cold and frozen storage (inland companies), logistics terminal operation, other air transport support services, and air and land cargo handling.

Can I use a student for weekend loading work?

Not without permission. Even for one weekend day, a D-2 holder needs permission for activities outside status under Article 20 of the Immigration Act first. First check with the immigration office whether permission can be obtained for loading work and whether it matches work at your company.

How New World Job checks

When New World Job (Hwang Yunsang Job Placement Agency) receives a job offer from a logistics center, we first confirm which of loading, sorting, packing and delivery will actually be assigned and the type of employment. We match the applicant’s status code against those duties and make an introduction only when hiring is allowed. Day laborers are not introduced at present. E-9 and H-2 workers are hired through the Job Center procedure, so New World Job does not introduce them.

Hwang Yunsang Administrative Agent Office files applications for students’ permission for activities outside status and E-7 employees’ permission to change workplace on your behalf under a separate contract. Whether you use this service has no effect on the introduction.