How Foreign Workers Apply to Change Workplaces in Korea

Eight checks on official workplace-change Form 13

1. Use and timing: first confirm that you are a worker covered by the workplace-change route and that a statutory reason applies. The Act normally refers to applying within one month after the employment contract ends and obtaining workplace-change permission within three months after applying, with statutory exceptions; verify your exact deadline immediately.
2. Applicant information: leave the asterisked receipt fields blank. Copy the English name from the passport or residence card, then enter the foreign registration number or passport number, nationality, current Korean address and a phone number that is actually reachable.
3. Reason for change: select only the reason supported by the facts—contract expiration, contract termination, suspension/closure or another officially notified employer-side reason, or injury and related cases. The office may request evidence to confirm the legal ground.
4. Desired industry and duties: list up to three priorities. Use the KSIC two-digit middle category for industry and the KECO three-digit small category for duties; ask the employment office rather than guessing codes.
5. Area, wage and other conditions: enter up to two desired regions or mark that region does not matter. Write the desired monthly base wage and any real limits on available period or hours. Unrelated fields may be left blank under the form instructions.
6. Signature and receiving office: confirm the statement is true, enter the date, and sign or stamp. Address the application to the competent regional employment and labor office or branch; do not fill the internal receipt/approval boxes.
7. Attachments and administrative-data consent: present a passport or residence card. A passport copy is requested only when the official cannot confirm foreign-registration facts. If you refuse administrative-data sharing, prepare the certificate yourself; consent and signature must be read separately.
8. After filing: keep a full copy, receipt number and date. The form shows a 15-day processing period and a flow of receipt, review, job-seeker registration and computer entry. Notify the receiving office immediately if submitted facts change; filing does not replace any required immigration permission.

Example only — do not submit: Minh P. copies his passport name and residence number, enters a current Korean address and reachable phone, and marks contract expiration because his verified contract ended on 31 August 2026. He asks the employment center to confirm his personal deadline and attaches the records it requests. He lists two realistic industry/job priorities using staff-confirmed KSIC and KECO codes, chooses two regions. The example then enters a desired monthly base wage, consents to administrative-data sharing, signs only after review, and keeps the receipt. Replace every fact, date, reason and code with your verified records.