The Ministry of Justice in South Korea has recently implemented a new trial program that relaxes visa issuance conditions to international students pursuing specific vocational programs in university institutions – a calculated move to cope with the shortage of labor in the country and to enhance growth in the region.
Through this pilot program, students who are admitted to 16 specially oriented workforce oriented technical majors in the nation will enjoy the relaxed D-2 student visa provisions, increased chances of working part-time, and simplified post-graduation job seeking opportunities.
What’s New in Visa Policy?
Minimized Financial Requirement of Student Visas.
Conventionally, overseas students who apply to receive a D-2 student visa should be able to establish an ability to show money through a minimum bank account balance of W20 million in the Seoul region and W16 million in the rest. But in case the students whose level of competence in the TOPIK Korean is Level 3 or more and who enroll in any of the 16 approved programs, this requirement is not binding, which greatly facilitates the initial financial requirements.
Conventionally, overseas students who apply to receive a D-2 student visa should be able to establish an ability to show money through a minimum bank account balance of W20 million in the Seoul region and W16 million in the rest. But in case the students whose level of competence in the TOPIK Korean is Level 3 or more and who enroll in any of the 16 approved programs, this requirement is not binding, which greatly facilitates the initial financial requirements.
More hours of part-time work.
Students enrolled may now work as many as 35 hours a week during term time, a higher number than the normal 30 hours, which will provide them more flexibility in order to earn their living during the period of study.
Students enrolled may now work as many as 35 hours a week during term time, a higher number than the normal 30 hours, which will provide them more flexibility in order to earn their living during the period of study.
Pathway to Work Visas After Graduation
A new E-7-M visa category called K-College to Regional Employment (K-CORE) visa will be promoted among graduates of such programs. The qualifying conditions are:
Working in a job relevant to the studies of the student with a minimum income of W26 million annually.
Korean language: TOPIK Level 5 or KIIP Level 4.
Korean language: TOPIK Level 5 or KIIP Level 4.
Graduates in the E-7-M visa category have better paths to extended residency: by spending a total of five years of employment in the country, or three years in an area the government considers experiencing a decrease in population, graduates are eligible to receive the F-2 resident visa.
Where the Programs Are Located
The 16 vocational programs are distributed across regions, in an attempt to concentrate the international talent outside the large metropolitan centres:
- Gyeonggi Province: Automotive engineering, fashion design, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.
- Busan: Mechanical and automobile engineering courses.
- Smart agri-food resources and automotive engineering: North Jeolla.
- Other Regions:there are Departments in CAD/CAM, special constructing equipment, renewable energy, and mechanical engineering in Daegu, North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, Ulsan, and South Jeolla.
This policy is indicative of the overall policy of South Korea to strengthen its labor force by bringing in international talents to areas that are critical to regional economies. The government also aims at mitigating challenges in the country like demographic decline and regional labor shortages, by connecting education to employment.
The pilot program will last until 2027, after which the authorities will assess its effectiveness and determine whether to extend it or make some alterations.
If you want to study in South Korea, then contact European Study Hub at: +916284560470.
