--- title: "South Korea Job Seeker (D-10) requirements 2026: 1-year stay" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/d10-job-seeker/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- South Korea · Work # South Korea Job Seeker (D-10) **First stay:** 1 yr Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026 [Rule changed 29 Oct 2025](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/2025-10-29-south-korea-b02ad9/) [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 1 yr (1 year per grant, up to 3 years in total; high-tech internship status up to 1 year, extendable.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport - **Work:** Limited (Job seeking and internship; part-time work only in the narrow case above; no regular employment until a professional status is granted.) - **Spouse work:** Needs a permit (Spouse and minor children can get F-3 only if the principal scores 80 points or more (or meets the score requirement for job seeking). Your spouse or partner needs their own work permit to work in South Korea: permission for activities outside their status, limited to approved occupations.) - **Tax angle:** Tax relief (Korea: remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence: A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea.) ## Key facts Job Seeker (D-10) is a work route for South Korea. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source. - **Government fees:** $60 - **First stay:** 1 yr ## Cost, time and long term **Government fees: $60** - $60 Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more. **Renewal: Renewable, 3 years max** Granted 1 year at a time, up to 3 years in total. [Ministry of Justice](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration/214/486421/download.do) **Permanent residence: After 5 years of residence** General rule: more than 5 years in D-7 to D-10, E-1 to E-7 or F-2 status, plus good conduct, ability to earn a living and basic knowledge of Korea (Korean language and society). Time on D-10 does not count toward the residence period for the point-based F-2 status. [Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/454085/download.do) **Citizenship: General rule: 5 years of residence** General naturalization needs 5 consecutive years of domicile in Korea and qualification for permanent residence, plus good conduct, self-support and basic knowledge of Korea. [Korea Legislation Research Institute](https://elaw.klri.re.kr/eng_service/lawViewContent.do?hseq=61297) ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Time on this route is capped at 3 years in total - Work rights are limited - Some ways in have an age limit ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - General job seekers hold at least a bachelor's degree, including a Korean associate degree. - General job seekers score at least 60 of 190 points, with at least 20 in the basic items (age and education). - The score is waived for graduates of Korean universities within 3 years who hold TOPIK 4 or higher. - The score is also waived for those who passed the Social Integration Programme level 4 interim evaluation or placed in level 5 in the pre-assessment. - From 29 October 2025, overseas graduates aged 29 or under from world top-200 universities, or TOPIK 6 holders in Korean studies, are exempt from the points and financial tests. - Tech start-up preparers hold a bachelor's degree or higher (a Korean associate degree counts). - Tech start-up preparers are preparing a tech start-up that falls under foreign investor (D-8). #### What you must show - General job seekers must also meet a financial requirement; the Ministry of Justice pages read do not publish the amount. #### After you arrive - Since 29 October 2025 the job-seeking period is 1 year per grant, up to 3 years in total. - Internships are allowed with no total cap, up to 1 year at a single company. - Part-time work is allowed only for D-2 changers with a Korean degree within 3 years and TOPIK 4 or higher. ## What happens at day 183 How South Korea decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records. - **Stay on this route:** **Up to 3 years in total** - **Tax residence:** - **At least 183 days in a continuous residence in Korea** A person with no domicile who has a residence in Korea for 183 days or more is a resident - **Foreign-source income:** **Remittance basis (5 years)** A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea. - **Special regime:** **Remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence** · Tax relief [All tax rules for South Korea](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/tax/) Tax records checked 10 Oct 2026 **Full official text** Status for job seeking, tech start-up preparation or a high-tech internship; general job seekers need a bachelor's degree (or Korean associate degree) and a passing score, waived for recent Korean-university graduates with strong Korean. (sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) #### What you must show and pay - A fee of $60 · Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more. (source 5) #### Requirements - General job seekers hold at least a bachelor's degree, including a Korean associate degree. (source 1) - General job seekers score at least 60 of 190 points, with at least 20 in the basic items (age and education). (sources 3, 4) - General job seekers must also meet a financial requirement; the Ministry of Justice pages read do not publish the amount. (source 2) - The score is waived for graduates of Korean universities within 3 years who hold TOPIK 4 or higher. (source 1) - The score is also waived for those who passed the Social Integration Programme level 4 interim evaluation or placed in level 5 in the pre-assessment. (source 1) - From 29 October 2025, overseas graduates aged 29 or under from world top-200 universities, or TOPIK 6 holders in Korean studies, are exempt from the points and financial tests. (source 2) - Tech start-up preparers hold a bachelor's degree or higher (a Korean associate degree counts). (source 1) - Tech start-up preparers are preparing a tech start-up that falls under foreign investor (D-8). (source 1) - Since 29 October 2025 the job-seeking period is 1 year per grant, up to 3 years in total. (source 2) - Internships are allowed with no total cap, up to 1 year at a single company. (source 2) - Part-time work is allowed only for D-2 changers with a Korean degree within 3 years and TOPIK 4 or higher. (source 1) #### Stay - 1 year per grant, up to 3 years in total; high-tech internship status up to 1 year, extendable. - Initial permitted stay: 12 months. - Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal. #### Work Job seeking and internship; part-time work only in the narrow case above; no regular employment until a professional status is granted. #### Family Spouse and minor children can get F-3 only if the principal scores 80 points or more (or meets the score requirement for job seeking). Your spouse or partner needs their own work permit to work in South Korea: permission for activities outside their status, limited to approved occupations. #### Fine print The Ministry of Justice release of 27 October 2025 waives "the points test and the financial requirement" for top-200 graduates and TOPIK 6 Korean-studies graduates, so a financial requirement applies to other job seekers; its amount was not found on an official page when last checked on 12 October 2026. Checked 2026-10-12 ## Official sources 1. [Visa Navigator: Customized Stay Guide for Foreign Residents](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/454085/download.do) · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-12 2. [Ministry of Justice press release: K-Trainee internship programme and Job Seeker (D-10) improvements, in force 29 October 2025](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration/214/486421/download.do) · Ministry of Justice (Korea) · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2025-10-27 3. [Job Seeker (D-10-1) points table (190 points, pass mark 60 with at least 20 in basic items)](https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/cn-ko/brd/m_1244/view.do?seq=1345558) · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China, Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2021-03-05 4. [MOJ reforms Job-Seeker Visa rules to attract international talent (Job-Seeker Points System, 1 October 2018)](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/442787/artclView.do) · Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2018-10-30 5. [Visa application fees for each visa type](https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/brd/m_4502/view.do?seq=715889&page=1) · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11 6. [Visa Navigator customised stay guide for foreign residents (Korean-language edition)](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/454086/download.do) · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-10 7. [Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Annex 1-2: long-term stay statuses (amended 27 May 2025)](https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/flDownload.do?gubun=&flSeq=152014589&bylClsCd=110201) · National Law Information Center, Korea (law.go.kr) · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2025-05-27 8. [Nationality Act (Articles 5 and 6, English translation)](https://elaw.klri.re.kr/eng_service/lawViewContent.do?hseq=61297) · Korea Legislation Research Institute (Ministry of Government Legislation) · checked 2026-10-11 ## Job Seeker (D-10) and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Job Seeker (D-10) | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited | | [Special Occupation (E-7)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/e7-special-activity/) | Needs income from ₩25.9M a year ≈ $19k | 3 yr, renewable | Limited | | [Top-Tier · industry job](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/f2t-top-tier-talent/) | Needs income from ₩149.9M a year ≈ $112k | 5 yr | – | | [LTR · Highly Skilled](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/ltr-highly-skilled-professional/) Thailand | Needs income of $80k+ a year | 5 yr, renewable | – | | [Engineer/Specialist visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/japan/engineer-specialist/) Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Limited | ## Questions people ask ### How much money do I need for the Job Seeker (D-10)? A fee of $60. Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more. ### How long can I stay on the Job Seeker (D-10)? 1 year per grant, up to 3 years in total; high-tech internship status up to 1 year, extendable. ### Can I work on the Job Seeker (D-10)? Limited. Job seeking and internship; part-time work only in the narrow case above; no regular employment until a professional status is granted. ### Can I bring my family on the Job Seeker (D-10)? Spouse and minor children can get F-3 only if the principal scores 80 points or more (or meets the score requirement for job seeking). ### Does the Job Seeker (D-10) lead to permanent residence in South Korea? Time on the Job Seeker (D-10) counts toward permanent residence in South Korea, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. The general rule for citizenship is 5 years of residence. ### Is there a tax break for Job Seeker (D-10) holders in South Korea? Korea: remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence: A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions. ## Tax Special regime ### [Korea: remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/tax/#tax-kr-foreign-source-remittance-basis) Tax relief Foreign-source income: Remittance basis (5 years) **Details** - On: Foreign-source income that is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea - Who: Foreign national (not a Korean citizen) who is a Korean tax resident A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea. #### Taxed on Foreign-source income that is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea; Korean-source income and all other income is taxed in full under the progressive income tax. #### Who it applies to - Foreign national (not a Korean citizen) who is a Korean tax resident. - Sum of periods with a domicile or residence in Korea over the 10 years before the end of the taxable period is 5 years or less. - Resident means having a domicile in Korea or a residence of 183 days or more. #### Exclusions - After more than five years of domicile or residence within the ten-year look-back, foreign-source income is taxed on a worldwide basis as for Korean residents. - Income not paid or remitted into Korea stays outside the Korean base for qualifying foreigners. #### Days in the country - At least 183 days in continuous residence in Korea · A person with no domicile who has a residence in Korea for 183 days or more is a resident #### Tax residence The five-year test is counted over the ten years before the end of the relevant taxable period; non-residents are taxed only on Korean-source income (article 3(2)). #### Visas Applies by tax residence status and nationality, not by visa category. #### Other taxes Local income tax, VAT and social insurance apply separately; see “Optional flat tax rate for foreign employees” and “Korea progressive comprehensive income tax rates” for employment tax rates. Checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) [Full page →](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/tax/) ## More in South Korea [Top-Tier · science](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/f2t-top-tier-science/) [Working Holiday (H-1)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/working-holiday-h1/) [Workcation visa (F-1-D)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/f1d-digital-nomad/) [Startup Korea Special (D-8-4)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/d8-4s-startup/) [D-8 Tech Start-up](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/d8-tech-startup/) [D-4 language study](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/d4-language-trainee/) [Student visa (D-2)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/d2-student/) [Korean F-4 overseas Korean visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/f4-overseas-korean/) ## Work visas elsewhere [🇮🇩 Special talent visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/indonesia/e33a-special-talent-sponsored/) [🇦🇪 Golden · Senior specialist](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-arab-emirates/golden-specialised-professional/) [🇸🇬 Employment Pass](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/singapore/employment-pass/) [🇲🇾 Residence Pass-Talent](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/malaysia/rp-t/) [🇹🇼 Job-seeker visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/taiwan/employment-seeking-resident-visa/) [🇭🇰 IANG graduate visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/hong-kong/iang/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## How this was checked **Checked on 2026-10-12 against 8 official sources.** Status: verified against the official sources. Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out. 1. [Visa Navigator: Customized Stay Guide for Foreign Residents](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/454085/download.do) · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-12 2. [Ministry of Justice press release: K-Trainee internship programme and Job Seeker (D-10) improvements, in force 29 October 2025](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration/214/486421/download.do) · Ministry of Justice (Korea) · checked 2026-10-12 3. [Job Seeker (D-10-1) points table (190 points, pass mark 60 with at least 20 in basic items)](https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/cn-ko/brd/m_1244/view.do?seq=1345558) · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China, Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10 4. [MOJ reforms Job-Seeker Visa rules to attract international talent (Job-Seeker Points System, 1 October 2018)](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/442787/artclView.do) · Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea · checked 2026-10-10 5. [Visa application fees for each visa type](https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/brd/m_4502/view.do?seq=715889&page=1) · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11 6. [Visa Navigator customised stay guide for foreign residents (Korean-language edition)](https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/454086/download.do) · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-10 7. [Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Annex 1-2: long-term stay statuses (amended 27 May 2025)](https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/flDownload.do?gubun=&flSeq=152014589&bylClsCd=110201) · National Law Information Center, Korea (law.go.kr) · checked 2026-10-12 8. [Nationality Act (Articles 5 and 6, English translation)](https://elaw.klri.re.kr/eng_service/lawViewContent.do?hseq=61297) · Korea Legislation Research Institute (Ministry of Government Legislation) · checked 2026-10-11 Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.