Announcements

1. Relevant Regulations
   a. Immigration Control Act, Article 17 (Scope of Stay and Activities of Foreigners) and Article 20 (Activities Beyond the Status of Stay)
   b. Immigration Control Act, Article 94 (Penal Provisions)

   Article 94 (Penal Provisions): Any person who falls under any of the following subparagraphs shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than three years or by a fine not exceeding 30 million won.

   • (8) A person who engages in employment activities without having obtained the status of stay that allows such activities in violation of Article 18 (1)

   • (9) A person who employs a foreigner without the status of stay that allows employment activities in violation of Article 18 (3)

   • (10) A person who, as a business, brokers or solicits the employment of a foreigner without the status of stay that allows employment activities in violation of Article 18 (4)

   c. Ministry of Justice, Immigration & Foreigners Policy Headquarters, “Guidebook for Stay of International Students” (pp. 36–40)
   d. Incheon Immigration Office, Management Division-10401 (2023.07.14.)

2. In principle, international students holding a student visa (D-2, D-4) are prohibited from engaging in any income-generating activities. However, part-time employment is exceptionally permitted only with prior approval from the immigration office.

3. Therefore, the guidelines on part-time employment for international students are distributed as attached. Please promote and inform the international students at your institution to prevent illegal employment and ensure they do not suffer disadvantages.

Classification of Part-time Employment for International Students

• Manufacturing: Allowed only with TOPIK Level 4 or higher

• Construction: Immediate deportation upon violation

• Research unrelated to major at another university falls under “Activities Beyond the Status of Stay (E-3 Research Visa)” rather than part-time employment |

Application for Part-time Employment

• Eligible Applicants: D-2, D-4 visa holders (Not allowed for students beyond the regular study period; limited permission for thesis preparation in graduate programs)

• Permission Period: Up to 1 year; renewal required before expiration for continued employment

• Working Hours (varies by language proficiency):

* English track students may submit official English test scores instead: TOEFL 530 (CBT 197, iBT 71), IELTS 5.5, CEFR B2, TEPS 601 (NEW TEPS 327) or higher.

Korean Language Proficiency Recognition Standards

• TOPIK: Level 3 or 4

• KIIP (Korea Immigration & Integration Program): Level 3 (61+) or Level 4 (81+)

• King Sejong Institute: Intermediate 1 (for Level 3) / Intermediate 2 (for Level 4)

• Academic Requirement: Minimum GPA of C (2.0) in the previous semester (not required for first-semester students)

• Required Documents: Certificate of enrollment, transcript, standard labor contract, business registration certificate, employer’s ID, language score report, confirmation of part-time employment, confirmation of compliance with part-time employment requirements (mandatory if the business registration includes manufacturing or construction)

Important Notes

• The employment start date on the contract and confirmation form must be at least 14 days later (since approval processing takes ~14 days).

• Students must obtain approval from the immigration office before commencing work.

Penalties for Violation

• Engaging in part-time employment without permission is considered illegal employment and may result in deportation or an order to voluntarily leave Korea. Violators may be punished by imprisonment for up to 3 years or a fine of up to 30 million won (Immigration Control Act, Article 46 (1) 8, Article 67 (1) 1, and Article 94 (12)).

Attachments

1. Precautions for International Students’ Part-time Employment

2. Extract from “Guidebook for Stay of International Students”

3. Confirmation Form for Part-time Employment

4. Forms for Academic Relevance Review