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Summary of Part-Time Employment Regulations for International Students in Korea(외국인 유학생 시간제취업 관리 강화 협조요청 및 홍보 안내)

Summary of Part-Time Employment Regulations for International Students in Korea

Immigration Control Act:
- Article 17 (Residence and Scope of Activities of Foreigners)
- Article 20 (Activities Outside of Visa Status)
- Article 94 (Penalties)
  - Individuals violating employment restrictions under Article 18 may face up to 3 years of imprisonment or a fine of up to KRW 30 million:
    1. Engaging in employment activities without a visa permitting such activities.
    2. Employing a foreigner without proper employment authorization.
    3. Brokering or facilitating employment for unauthorized foreign workers.
Guidelines & References:
- Ministry of Justice Immigration Policy Bureau, "International Student Stay Guide" (pp. 36–40)
- Incheon Immigration Office Management Division Document No. 10401 (2023.07.14.)

D-2 (Student) and D-4 (Training) visa holders are generally prohibited from engaging in any income-generating activities, including research activities funded by research grants.
Part-time employment is allowed only with prior approval from the immigration office.

Applicable Visa Types: D-2 (Student), D-4 (Training)
Exclusions:
- Students who have exceeded their regular study period (except for master's and Ph.D. candidates preparing theses) are ineligible.
Approval Period: Maximum 1 year; re-application required before expiration for continued employment.
Work Hours Limit: Based on TOPIK level (Korean proficiency test score)

Degree Level	Year	TOPIK Level	Weekday Limit	Weekend & Vacation Limit
Undergraduate	1-2	Below Level 3	10 hours/week	No limit
		Level 3 or above	30 hours/week	No limit
	3-4	Below Level 4	10 hours/week	No limit
		Level 4 or above	30 hours/week	No limit
Graduate (Master’s/Ph.D.)	Any	Below Level 4	15 hours/week	No limit
		Level 4 or above	35 hours/week	No limit

GPA Requirement: A minimum GPA of C (2.0) or higher in the previous semester (not required for first-semester students).

Student-related documents: Certificate of enrollment, academic transcript, TOPIK score report
Employer-related documents: Business registration certificate, employer’s ID copy
Employment-related documents: Standard labor contract, part-time work confirmation form, compliance form
Additional requirements: If the business includes manufacturing or construction, further verification is required.

Category	Allowed Without Reporting	Requires Reporting	Prohibited
Job Type	On-campus simple/temporary jobs, on-campus research related to the major, mandatory internship	General student-level part-time jobs, on-campus non-major-related research, off-campus major-related research, voluntary internships	Manufacturing & construction jobs, professional occupations, special types of employment (e.g., delivery workers), off-campus non-major-related research
Remarks	Off-campus research must be reviewed with additional documents (professor’s verification, graduate school dean’s recommendation, research participation statement)	Manufacturing allowed only with TOPIK Level 4 or higher; Construction work is strictly prohibited and leads to immediate deportation	Non-major-related research falls under E-3 (Research) visa and requires a separate "activities outside of visa status" approval

Application Submission:
- The start date on the labor contract must be at least 10 days after the submission (processing time: 10 days).
- Students must receive final approval before starting work.
Consequences of Unauthorized Employment:
- Engaging in part-time work without approval may result in:
  - Deportation or voluntary departure recommendation
  - Imprisonment for up to 3 years or a fine of up to KRW 30 million

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