Guidelines for Part-time Work of International Students

1. Overview
In principle, foreign students' profit-making and job-hunting activities are prohibited, but are allowed only if they have obtained part-time work permission in advance for activities not covered by the status of sojourn.


2. Subject
A. Holders of a student visa (D-2) (Excluding students with F types of visa)
B. Who has a certain level of proficiency in the Korean language and has excellent grades in the previous semester
※ For English track courses, TOEFL (iBT 71), IELTS 5.5 or higher score is required. However, students from countries whose native language is English are exempt from submission. Part-time work is not permitted if the GPA of the previous semester is less than C.
C. A person residing in Korea
D. Confirmed by international student coordinator at Office of International Affairs


3. Procedure

<Procedure of Permission for Part-time Work>

①		②		③		④		⑤
Fill out an employment contract	⟶	Fill out a Part-time Work Form	⟶	Confirmation and signature from OIA	⟶	Submit to the Immigration Office (visit/online)	⟶	Start the part-time work
Workplace		Student		OIA		Immigration		Student

4. Required Documents
① Passport, Residence Card(RC), application form, a fee (exemption)
② Part-time Work of Foreign Student Confirmation Form (See Appendix)
③ Standard Labor Contract
※ Descriptions of work, period and time, hourly wage, and place must be in detail. In case of participating in profitable research activities, a contract may be substituted with a confirmation form of participation in the project, but the above information must be written in the document
④ Business registration certificate
※ The employer name written on the part-time work confirmation form, contract, and business registration certificate must be identical
⑤ Score report for Korean Language Proficiency (TOPIK)
⑥ Transcript
⑦ Confirmation of compliance with the requirements for part-time employment for foreign students (limited to those who apply)
※ Only applicable if the workplace is categorized as manufacturing or construction in its Business Registration Certificate
⑧ (Applicable for research activities within the affiliated university) When participating in research related to academic studies in the case of receiving a support fund from the university and Industry-Academic Cooperation Research and Development Foundation, one must additionally submit 「Advisor Confirmation Letter」 「Advisor Confirmation Letter」 and 「University (Graduate) Recommendation Letter」 (free of the form)


5. Allowed Time
A. Undergraduate students: Less than 20 hours per week
- Up to 25 hours per week are permitted for international students with an average grade of B+ in the previous semester and a valid transcript of TOPIK level 5 or higher, or those who have completed the social integration program (www.socinet.go.kr)
※ 10 hours per week for those who have less than level 4 in the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), or for those in the English Track who do not meet the English proficiency level (TOEFL iBT 71 or IELTS 5.5 or less) in the case of the English track
B. Graduate students: Less than 30 hours per week
- Up to 35 hours per week are permitted for international students with an average grade of A in the previous semester and a valid transcript of TOPIK level 5 or higher, or those who have completed the social integration program (www.socinet.go.kr)
※ 15 hours per week for those who have less than level 4 in the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), or for those in the English Track who do not meet the English proficiency level (TOEFL iBT 71 or IELTS 5.5 or less) in the case of the English trac.


6. Notes
A. Those who work without obtaining part-time work permission in advance are applicable to committing ‘illegal part-time job(employment)’, thus could be under punishment by Article 94 of the Immigration Control Act for Foreign Students and Employers by violating Article 18 of the same law (up to three years in prison or a fine of less than KRW 30 million)
- First detection ⟶ Imposition of fines and restriction of part-time work for 1 year; the Second detection ⟶ Forced deportation
B. If permission is granted but the conditions of permission are violated, punishment is as follows
- First detection ⟶ restriction of part-time work for 1 year; Second detection ⟶ prohibit of part-time work; Third detection ⟶ cancellation of study abroad qualifications
C. In the case of research activities within the affiliated university, approval of qualification for academic-related research is determined based on whether the research project awards credits.
- Even if it is a research project related to the required study that must be completed as stipulated in the grant of credits or graduation circumstances, it is necessary to apply for part-time work by preparing the 「Advisor Confirmation Letter」 and 「University (graduate) recommendation letter」 (free of the form)
- The employer in the part-time work confirmation form must match the business registration certificate, and even if granted with support fund from Industry-Academic Cooperation Research and Development Foundation, it is necessary to write the name of the employer on the business registration certificate of the institution where one is actually working and submit the relevant documents
D. Graduate research students can work up to 30 hours per week. Undergraduate students in excess semesters are not permitted part-time work.