B. For (Prospective) Graduates

Change of status to a E-1 through E-7

If you meet qualifications required for one of the Professor (E-1) through Foreign National of Special Ability (E-7) statuses, you may apply for the change of status that would allow you to work.
- For (prospective) graduates of community college: relevance between major and potential work area is widely recognized.
- For (prospective) graduates of university: relevance between major and potential work area is not required.

Change of status to Job Seeker (D-10) for potential employees/entrepreneurs

If you plan to engage in the following activities, you shall apply for the change of status to Job Seeker (D-10):Job-seeking activities to enter a company/institution in Korea; participation in a short-term internship program where you are paid for training before officially starting work; participation in the courses of Overall Assistance for Start-up Immigration System (OASIS); activities relevant to the preparation/application for intellectual properties including patents; and overall preparation activities for a start-up (establishment, etc.)

Change of status to Resident (F-2-7) based on a points system

If you have earned (or are expected to earn) a master's degree or higher from a Korean university and are employed by a Korean company; and meet certain standards required by a points system (age, education level, income level, etc.), you may apply for the change of status to Resident.

(Ref.) Press Release on Supportive Policies for International Students (Feb. 10, 2015 [English])

Title: Expansion of Visa Issuance for Foreign Graduates of a Korean University to Promote Entrepreneurship and Employment of International Students
http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/NtcCotnDetailR_en.pt?pageSpec=&targetRow=&lafjOrderBy=&sRange=&sKeyWord=&bbsGbCd=BS10&bbsSeq=4&ntccttSeq=15&pageCode=list&langCd=EN&bbsNm=Press+Room

Change of Status to E-1 through E-7

A. Qualifications (All the qualifications below must be satisfied.)

• A Student (D-2) visa holder refers to a prospective graduate qualified to apply for a Job Seeking (D-10) visa. (However, if you have already received a bachelor's degree or higher from university in your country or a third country and met necessary work experience qualifications, you may apply for a D-10 visa while studying in university (not necessarily to be a prospective graduate).
• Only for the jobs in fine arts and sports (jobs in an adult entertainment establishment [E-6-2] are excluded.)

B. Criteria and Required Documents

(Ref.) 83 Occupations Allowed under Foreign National of Special Ability (E-7) Status

Change of Status to Job Seeker (D-10) for Student (D-2) Visa Holders

A. Eligible Individuals

• - You have earned an associate degree from a Korean community college (including graduating students)
• - You have earned a bachelor's degree or higher from a Korean university (including graduating students) or who has completed (will be completing soon) a research course of an academic research center, or
• - You have earned a bachelor's degree or higher from a Korean/foreign university (including graduating students) and intend to establish a start-up based on intellectual property rights or the equivalent technology.

B. Restricted Individuals

• If you have ever quit your job without a valid reason attributable to the employer before your contract expired and have your status changed to D-10 within the past one year, you will be restricted from changing your status*.
  

  * It is necessary that we protect good employers who are not responsible for the end of employment contracts according to the principle of good faith and that we establish a social order among foreigners in Korea by preventing their possible abuse of the existing job-seeking scheme.

C. Required Documents

For job-seeking activities
Student (D-2) visa holders	① an application form (Form No. 34), passport, Alien Registration Card, fees ② a certificate of education, transcript*, etc.    * You are exempt from submitting the documents if they are verifiable on the immigration information system ③ a job-seeking activity plan ④ a photocopy of a national technical qualification (where applicable)
For entrepreneurial activities based on technology
① an application form (Form No. 34), passport, Alien Registration Card, fees ② a certificate of education (bachelor's degree or higher) ③ a technology-based start-up plan ④ a photocopy of a patent/utility model registration/design registration or a certificate/receipt of application (where applicable) ⑤ a photocopy of a certificate proving that you have completed/participated in the Overall Assistance for Start-up Immigration System (OASIS) courses (where applicable)

D. How to Apply

• Please apply for the change of status to the Immigration (Branch) Office with jurisdiction over your place of residence immediately after the change (or before the change).

Change of Status to Resident Based on a Points System

A. Eligible Individuals

• - Statuses eligible for the change

  Status	Remarks
  D-2, D-10	Only if a D-2/D-10 visa holder has earned a master's degree or higher from a Korean university (including graduating students) and has been confirmed as a new employee of a Korean company

• - Requirement: The person concerned must have stayed on a D-2/D-10 visa for at least one year. (however, if the D-2/D-10 visa holder has his/her status changed to E-1 through E-7, etc., he/she is deemed to have met the stay period requirement)

B. Criteria for a Permit

• The total points of the table below must be at least 80. (Full points: 120)
  
  

  Category (Points)	Standardized criteria (90)				Extra points and points deduction (30)		Combined total points (120)	Accept/ Reject
  	Age (25)	Education level (35)	Korean language ability (20)	Current income (10)	Extra points (30)	Points deduction (-5)
  Points

• Category(Age)	18-24	25-29	30-34	35-39	40-44	45-50	51 or older
  Points	20	23	25	23	20	18	15
  Evaluation standard	Date of birth on passport (the applicant's age is ___ on the date of evaluation.)

• Level of education	Doctorate degree		Master's degree		Bachelor's degree		Associate degree		High school diploma
  	Science and engineering/2 Degrees or more	Liberal arts	Science and engineering/2 Degrees or more	Liberal arts	Science and engineering/2 Degrees or more	Liberal arts	Science and engineering/2 Degrees or more	Liberal arts
  Points	35	33	32	30	28	26	25	23	15
  Evaluation standard	Degree or graduation certificate (for high school graduates only)

• Korean language ability	Social communication (advanced)		Conversation on a familiar and everyday topic (intermediate)		Basic communication (basic)
  	Grade 6	Grade 5	Grade 4/ Level 4	Grade 3/Level 3	Grade 2/ Level 2	Grade 1/ Level 1
  Points	20	18	16	14	12	10
  Evaluation standard	Grade on the Standard-Test of Proficiency in Korean (S-TOPIK) report card issued by President of the National Institutes for International Education or; level (Level 1-4) of the Korean language course completion of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program indicated on a certificate of "training confirmation"

• Annual income(unit: million won)	100 or more	90-less than 100	80-less than 90	70-less than 80	60-less than 70	50-less than 60	40-less than 50	30-less than 40	20-less than 30	less than 20
  Points	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
  Evaluation standard	A photocopy of receipt for earned income tax withholding which shows the applicant's total income in the latest year. The original copy must be verified by the applicant's workplace.

• Extra points criteria	Ko rea Im migr ati on and Integr ation Prog ram	Annual income tax payment record (unit: million won)					Study experience in Korea					Volunteer activitiesin Korea			Overseas professional work experience
  		5 or more	4- less than 5	3- less than4	2- less than3	1- less than 2	Doct orate de ree	Mas ter' sde gree	Ba ch el or's deg ree	Asso ciate deg ree	Ko rean lan guage tra in ing	3 years or more	2 -less than 3years	1 - less than 2years	3 years or more	2 -less than 3years	1 - less than 2years
  Points	10	5	4	3	2	1	5	4	3	2	1	5	3	1	5	3	1
  Evalu ation stan dard	∙ Completion of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program: a certificate of completion for social integration program is issued by the head of the jurisdictional immigration office in accordance with the ‘Regulations on Immigrants Social Integration Program and its Management'. (please visit www.kiip.kr for more information.) ∙ Record of annual income tax payment: a certificate of last year's tax payment is issued by the National Tax Service. ∙ Study experience in Korea: a degree or certificate (for Korean language trainees only), Entry & Exit Information System, International Students Information System ∙ Volunteer activities in Korea: a certificate of volunteer activities records is issued by a respective public institution and social group. (Please combine all volunteer activities in the last 3 years. However, your volunteer activities are recognized only if the total period adds up to 50 hours or more and at least six times per year.) ∙ Overseas professional work experience: a certificate of work experience is issued by CEO of a respective foreign public institution, group, and company. (However, a working period as a regular employee is recognized only.)

• Points deduction	Punishment (including fines)				Illegal Stay
  	Applicant			Accompanied family or invitee	You have an accompanied family member or invitee who is currently an illegal immigrant + who has departed from Korea after 3 months of illegal stay within the past two years.
  	Violation of Korean laws twice or 3 million won or more in combined fines	Violation of Korean laws once (fines: 1-less than 3 million won)	Violation of Korean laws once (fines: less than 1 million won)	Violation of Korean laws twice or 3 million won or more in combined fines
  Points	-3	-2	-1	-1	-1
  Evaluation standard	Criminal Record Check System, Immigration Information System (applied to violations in the past 2 years only)

C. Required Documents

• ① an application form (Form No. 34), passport, Alien Registration Card, fees
• ② a certificate of a degree or diploma (for high school graduates only)
• ③ documents proving your Korean language ability
• ④ documents proving your income (receipt for earned income tax withholding, etc.)
• ⑤ an employment contract
• ⑥ documents proving your family relations (spouse/child)
• ⑦ a certificate of completion for the Korea Immigration and Integration Program, documents proving income tax payment, volunteer activities records, certificate of work experience and other documents required in the recognition of your extra points stated in the above table (where applicable)