South Korea Relaxes Visa Rules For International Students At Vocational Universities

• South Korea has utilized flexible visa policies for international college students in explicit vocational university purposes.
• The initiative aims to address regional labor shortages and attract expert international talent.
• The Ministry of Justice has designated 16 vocational purposes as group-centered technical lessons.

South Korea has presented extra flexible visa policies for international college students enrolled in distinct vocational university purposes, aiming to form out regional labor shortages and attract expert international talent.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Justice presented that 16 vocational purposes nationwide had been designated as group-centered technical lessons. College students in these purposes will now abet from relaxed D-2 pupil visa requirements, the flexibility to work extra hours portion-time, and a possible pathway to a diversified work visa after commencement.

Targets of the Program

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho highlighted this technique’s twin reason: cultivating expert professionals proficient in the Korean language whereas addressing regional labor gaps and inhabitants decline. “We can actively collaborate with local governments, vocational faculties, and relevant ministries to nurture excellent talent,” he said.

Underneath the pilot blueprint, college students admitted to the 16 selected purposes no longer must existing proof of a minimum monetary institution balance to compose a D-2 visa, as long as they’ve achieved Topik stage 3 or higher in Korean. Previously, college students attending universities in the Greater Seoul effect had been required to existing no lower than 20 million won ($13,633), whereas these at universities outside Seoul needed 16 million won.

The initiative additionally enables college students to work as a lot as 35 hours per week at some stage in the semester, an magnify from the outdated restrict of 30 hours.

Capabilities and Areas

The 16 purposes are spread all over extra than one provinces, collectively with:

• Gyeonggi: Gyeonggi University of Science and Abilities, Daelim University, Bucheon University, among others.
• Busan: Kyungnam College of Recordsdata & Abilities, Dong-Eui Institute of Abilities, Busan Institute of Science and Abilities.
• Other regions: North Jeolla, Daegu, North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, Ulsan, and South Jeolla.

Fields of survey duvet areas equivalent to automotive and mechanical engineering, textile compose, renewable vitality, and good agri-food resources.

The trial program is determined to crawl unless the tip of 2027. In a while, the Justice Ministry will overview its effectiveness and judge whether to magnify or construct the visa benefits everlasting.

Background

In 2023, the South Korean government launched the ‘Seek Korea 300K Accomplishing,’ aiming to attract 300,000 international college students by 2027. The initiative simplifies everlasting residency and enhances scholarship opportunities, in particular through the Global Korea Scholarships, aligning with the country’s quiz for excessive-expert workers amid rising global competitors.

South Korea is additionally among the many tip 10 survey locations globally, with proof of funds requirements starting from $10,000 in 2026.

Future Alternatives for Graduates

The Justice Ministry plans to introduce the E-7-M work visa, additionally called the K-CORE (K-College to Regional Employment) visa, completely for graduates of the 16 purposes. To qualify, graduates must get dangle of employment in a field associated to their reports with a minimum annual salary of 26 million won ($17,700) and articulate Korean proficiency at KIIP stage 4 or Topik stage 5.

E-7-M visa holders who work for 5 years or three years in regions going through inhabitants decline will possible be eligible to be conscious for an F-2 resident visa, offering long-timeframe residency alternate choices for expert international workers.

The trial program will proceed unless the tip of 2027, after which its outcomes will possible be reviewed to get dangle of out whether the visa benefits will possible be expanded or made everlasting.