Foreign nationals must verify their employment eligibility information to work in Korea.
If a foreigner wants to work in Korea
For foreigners to engage in job-seeking activities in Korea, employment qualifications are important.
You can find out information on employment qualifications and changes to job seeker qualifications, and check the employment procedures for foreign workers.
Full Time Job
Change to employment status
If you are a graduate (or prospective graduate), you may apply for permission to change your status of stay to an employment visa if you meet the qualification requirements for each visa category, ranging from Professor (E-1) to Specific Activities (E-7). For graduates (or prospective graduates) of junior colleges, the relevance between the job and the major is broadly recognized, whereas for university graduates (or prospective graduates) holding a bachelor's degree or higher, there is no relevance between the job and the major.
Eligibility to apply
Eligibility Requirements (Must satisfy all of the following 1, 2, and 3 requirements)
- Persons legally residing in the country holding a job-seeking (D-10) or student (D-2)* visa
- The field in which employment is intended corresponds to the Professor (E-1), Language Instruction (E-2), Research (E-3), Technical Instruction (E-4), Professional Occupation (E-5), Arts & Entertainment (E-6)**, or Specific Activities (E-7) statuses, and the relevant qualification requirements must be met.
- You must enter into an employment contract with the representative of the relevant institution or organization where you intend to work.
※ A student (D-2) visa holder refers to a prospective graduate who meets the requirements to change to a job-seeking (D-10) visa.
(However, if a student has already obtained a bachelor's degree or higher from a university in their home country or a third country and meets the necessary work experience requirements, the change is permitted even while currently enrolled.)
※ Excluding entertainment activities at entertainment establishments (E-6-2), only the fields of fine arts or sports are permitted.
Evaluation Criteria and Submission Documents
- professor(E-1)
painting instruction(E-2)
research(E-3)
technical guidance(E-4)
professional occupation(E-5)
- Changes are permitted if the required educational background, work experience, certifications, etc. for employment eligibility are met.
※ documents to be submitted
- Application form (Attachment No. 34), passport, Alien Registration Card, fee
- Documents related to establishment, such as employment contracts and employing companies (Submit only 1 or 2 types from Business Registration Certificate, Certificate of Incorporation, Academy Establishment Certificate, etc.)
- Certificate of employment (E-1, etc.), criminal record certificate (E-2), medical examination report (E-2), copy of professional license (E-5, E-7, etc.), letter of recommendation or documents proving the necessity of employment (E-5, E-7), etc.
- art show(E-6)
- Changes are permitted for holders of an associate degree or higher if the employment occupation is related to their major. However, it is not permitted for those intending to engage in performance or entertainment activities (E-6-2) at hotel facilities, entertainment establishments, etc., under the Tourism Promotion Act.
※ documents to be submitted
- Application form (Attachment No. 34), passport, Alien Registration Card, fee
- Employment contract, documents related to the establishment of the employing company, etc. (submit only 1 or 2 types from Business Registration Certificate, Certificate of Incorporation, Academy Establishment Certificate, etc.)
- specific activity(E-7)
- For holders of a domestic associate degree, a change of employment is permitted regardless of work experience requirements if the job is related to their major.
For holders of a domestic bachelor's degree or higher, changes are permitted regardless of work experience requirements, even if the new job is unrelated to their major.
Additional hiring is restricted for domestic-oriented companies employing fewer than five nationals or for companies where E-7 visa holders account for more than 20% of total national employees, in consideration of national substitutability and employment.*
* However, in high-tech industries, etc., employment is permitted within a 50% range upon recommendation from the competent ministry.
To prevent the use of low-wage labor through loopholes, changes to qualifications are restricted in principle if the employment contract amount is less than 60% of the average wage of domestic workers with the same experience performing the same duties at the employing company, or less than 1.5 million won per month.
For other details, the Guidelines for the Issuance of Certificates of Authorization for Specific Activities (E-7) Visas and Management of Stay apply.
※ documents to be submitted
- Application form (Attachment No. 34), passport, Alien Registration Card, fee
- employment contract
- Documents related to the establishment of the employing company, etc. (submit only 1 or 2 types from Business Registration Certificate, Certified Copy of Incorporation, Academy Establishment Certificate, etc.)
- Career certificate
- Copy of qualification
- Letters of recommendation for employment or documents proving the necessity of employment, etc.
83 Permitted Employment Categories for Specific Activities (E-7)
- Skilled workforce (8 occupations)
Skilled workers in agriculture, forestry, livestock, and fisheries (3 occupations)
Skilled worker in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries (610)
Animal breeder (61395)
Sea cucumber farming technician (63019)
Skilled workers and related tradespeople (5 occupations)
Instrument Manufacturer and Tuner (7303)
Skilled Craftsman in Root Industries (740)
Skilled Craftsman in General Manufacturing and Construction Companies (700)
Shipbuilding Welder (7430)
Aircraft Maintenance Worker (7521)
Job Seeker/Entrepreneurship Hopeful, Change of Status to Job Seeker (D-10)
You may apply for permission to change your status of residence to job seeker if you engage in not only job-seeking activities with domestic companies or organizations but also short-term internships conducted with training fees prior to formal employment, as well as various preparatory activities related to starting a business, such as participating in the Open Application Support System (OASIS), preparing and filing for intellectual property rights including patents, and preparing to establish a startup corporation.
Eligibility to apply
Allowed for
- International students who have obtained (or are expected to obtain) an associate degree from a domestic junior college
- International students who have obtained (or are expected to obtain) a bachelor's degree or higher from a domestic university, or who have completed (or are expected to complete) a research course at an academic research institution, etc.
- Persons holding a bachelor's degree or higher from a domestic or foreign country (including those expected to receive a degree) who intend to prepare for a startup based on intellectual property rights or equivalent technical capabilities.
restricted to
Persons who, within the last year, voluntarily resigned during the employment contract period without fault attributable to the employer and received permission to change their status to job-seeking (D-10)*
* It is necessary to protect innocent employers without fault based on the principle of good faith and to establish order in the residency of foreigners by preventing the abuse of the job search system.
documents to be submitted
Change of residency status to a points-based system (F-2-7)
If a person has obtained a master's degree or higher from a domestic university (including those expected to do so) and has secured employment with a domestic company, etc., and meets certain criteria regarding age, educational background, income, etc., they may apply for permission to change their status of stay to a residency status based on a points system.
Eligibility to apply
- Limited to cases where a D-2 or D-10 holder has obtained (or is expected to obtain) a master's degree or higher from a domestic university and has secured employment with a domestic company, etc.
- Must have been legally residing in the country for at least one year under an eligible status of residence.
*However, if permission is granted to change status to another eligible status (E-1–E-7, etc.) from a D-2 or D-10 visa, the requirement for the period of stay is recognized as satisfied.
Qualification criteria
The sum of the scores obtained for each evaluation item based on the score sheet must be equal to or greater than the standard score.
Scoring per evaluation item (total 120 points) and cutoff score (80 points)
age
- 18-24 years old
20 points
- 25-29 years old
23 points
- 30-34 years old
25 points
- 35-39 years old
23 points
- 40-44 years old
20 points
- 45-50 years old
18 points
- 51 years of age or older
15 points
Criteria: Date of birth as shown on passport (as of evaluation date)
Education
- doctor
- Science and Engineering/2 or higher
35 points
- humanities
33 points
- master
- Science and Engineering/2 or higher
32 points
- humanities
30 points
- bachelor's degree
- Science and Engineering/2 or higher
28 points
- humanities
26 points
- professional bachelor's degree
- Science and Engineering/2 or higher
25 points
- humanities
23 points
- high school graduate
Korean language skills
- advanced
Sufficient communication in social life
- level 6
20 points
- level 5
18 points
- middle class
Communicate on familiar topics
- level 4/4 stage
16 points
- level 3/3 stage
14 points
- Beginner
basic communication
- level 2/2 stage
12 points
- level 1/1 stage
10 points
Criteria: Level on the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) score report issued by the President of the National Institute for International Education, or level of completion (Levels 1-4) of the Korean language course on the Social Integration Program education confirmation certificate
annual income
- 100 million won or more
10 points
Less than 50-60 million won
5 points
- Less than 90 million to 100 million won
9 points
Less than 40-50 million won
4 points
- Less than 80-90 million won
8 points
Less than 30-40 million won
3 points
- Less than 70-80 million won
7 points
Less than 20-30 million won
2 points
- Less than 60-70 million won
6 points
Less than 20 million won
1 points
Criteria: Nominal total income for the past year as shown in the copy of the Withholding Tax Receipt for Earned Income submitted after verification of the original by the workplace.
Additional point items
- Completion of Social Integration Program10 points
- Annual income tax payment record
- 5 million won or more
5 points
- Less than 4-5 million won
4 points
- Less than 3-4 million won
3 points
- Less than 2-3 million won
2 points
- Less than 1-2 million won
1 points
- Study abroad experience in Korea
- doctor
5 points
- master
4 points
- bachelor's degree
3 points
- professional bachelor's degree
2 points
- Korean language training
1 points
- Domestic community service activities
- 3 years or more
5 points
- Less than 2-3 years
3 points
- Less than 1-2 years
1 points
- Overseas work experience in specialized fields
- 3 years or more
5 points
- Less than 2-3 years
3 points
- Less than 1-2 years
1 points
Criteria: Completion of Social Integration Program: Certificate of Completion of the Social Integration Program issued by the head of the competent immigration office in accordance with the ‘Regulations on the Immigrant Social Integration Program and its Operation, etc.’
(For more details, please refer to www.socinet.go.kr)
- Annual Income Tax Payment Record: Certificate of Income Tax Payment Record for the Previous Year issued by the National Tax Service
- Study experience in Korea: Degree certificate or certificate of completion (Korean language training only), Immigration Information System, International Student Information System
- Domestic Community Service: Certificate of community service issued by the relevant public institution, social organization, etc. (Recognized by aggregating activity records from the past 3 years and requiring at least 6 sessions totaling 50 hours per year)
- Overseas Professional Work Experience: Certificate of employment issued by the representative of an overseas public institution, organization, or company in the relevant field (only the period of employment as a regular employee is recognized)
Point deduction items
- Fines, etc.
Applicant
- Twice or a total of 3 million won or more
-3 points
- 1 time (less than 1-3 million won)
-2 points
- 1 time (less than 1 million won)
-1 points
- Fines, etc.
Accompanying family members or the invited person
- 2 times or a total of 3 million won or more
-1 points
- Illegal stayCurrent undocumented residents among accompanying family members or invitees
+ those who departed after staying illegally for 3 months or more within the last 2 years-1 points
Criteria: Criminal Background Check System, Immigration Information System, etc. (Only violations within 2 years of the application date apply)
documents to be submitted
- Application form (Attachment No. 34), passport and alien registration card, fee
- Degree certificate or graduation certificate (for high school graduates only)
- Document proving Korean language proficiency
- Income-related supporting documents (withholding tax receipt for earned income, etc.)
- employment contract
- Documents proving family relationship (spouse and children)
- Other supporting documents required for recognition of additional points on the score sheet, such as a certificate of completion of the Social Integration Program, proof of income tax payment, certificate of community service, certificate of work experience, etc. (if applicable)
Part Time Job
Relaxation of Part-time Employment Permissions for International Students
The permitted hours for part-time employment (part-time jobs) are limited to 30 hours per week for undergraduate students and 35 hours per week for graduate students, and there is no limit of 10 hours or more during weekends and vacation periods.
In addition, current students or high-achieving students at accredited universities may receive additional benefits ranging from 10 to 35 hours.
In Korea, we aim to provide international students with opportunities for career exploration by expanding the hours and scope of part-time employment.
Trends in Part-time Work Permits for International Students
"Increase in International Students Seeking Part-Time Employment in Korea"
Unit: Dollar
Source: Ministry of Justice [Trends in Part-time Work Permits for International Students] https://www.moj.go.kr/moj/index.do (As of September 2022)
Eligibility for Part-time Employment (Arba)
- In order for international students holding a study (D-2) or general training (D-4) visa to work part-time, they must possess a certain level of Korean language proficiency and have obtained permission for part-time work from the competent immigration office.
- Those who have been granted a residence permit exceptionally due to failure to meet graduation requirements, such as insufficient credits, after completing their study abroad program (2 years of associate degree, 4 years of bachelor's degree), are excluded from eligibility.
- Limited to 30 hours per week, and the unlimited allowance rule does not apply during days off, public holidays, or vacation periods.
Fields where part-time employment (Arba) is permitted
Limited to part-time employment activities (such as simple labor) typically performed by students
Examples: restaurant assistant, general office assistant, tour guide assistant, and duty-free shop sales assistant, etc.
※ If you are planning to work part-time, please first contact your school's Office of International Affairs or the department responsible for international students to check the regulations regarding part-time employment for international students.
tolerance range
The allowed hours by Korean language proficiency and degree program are as follows.
tolerance range
| university type |
grade |
Korean language proficiency standards
①TOPIK ②Social integration program ③King Sejong Institute |
When to start |
time allowed |
Accredited University · Academic Excellence, Korean Language Excellence
(weekdays) |
| weekdays |
Weekends/vacation |
| Language training course |
having no concern with |
①TOPIK level 2
②Completion of Social Integration Program Level 2 or higher, or a pre-assessment score of 41 or higher
③Complete Sejong Institute Intermediate Level 1 or higher |
X |
Available after 6 months |
10 hours |
10 hours |
| O |
20 hours |
25 hours |
| Professional Bachelor's Program |
having no concern with |
①TOPIK level 3
②Completion of Social Integration Program Level 3 or higher, or a pre-assessment score of 61 or higher
③Complete Sejong Institute Intermediate Level 1 or higher |
X |
available immediately |
10 hours |
10 hours |
| O |
25 hours |
No limit |
30 hours |
| Bachelor's degree |
1st and 2nd graders |
①TOPIK level 3
②Completion of Social Integration Program Level 3 or higher, or a pre-assessment score of 61 or higher
③Complete Sejong Institute Intermediate Level 1 or higher |
X |
available immediately |
10 hours |
10 hours |
| O |
25 hours |
No limit |
30 hours |
3rd~4th grade |
①TOPIK level 4
②Completion of Social Integration Program Level 4 or higher, or a pre-assessment score of 81 or higher
③Complete Sejong Institute Intermediate Level 2 or higher |
X |
available immediately |
10 hours |
10 hours |
| O |
25 hours |
No limit |
30 hours |
| Master's/Doctoral program |
having no concern with |
①TOPIK level 4
②Completion of Social Integration Program Level 4 or higher, or a pre-assessment score of 81 or higher
③Complete Sejong Institute Intermediate Level 2 or higher |
X |
available immediately |
15 hours |
10 hours |
| O |
30 hours |
No limit |
35 hours |
Source: Easy-to-Find Living Laws Information Ministry of Government Legislation [Arbeit: Part-time Work]https://www.easylaw.go.kr/
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