South Korea is actively seeking to attract international students, yet many of these students face significant challenges when they attempt to transition into the workforce after graduation. The struggle primarily revolves around complex visa requirements, which often deter both graduates and potential employers from pursuing long-term employment relationships.
Do Ngoc Minh Luong, a Vietnamese computer science graduate from Seoul National University, shared her experience of navigating the visa process. Despite completing internships at major Korean conglomerates, she encountered difficulties with visa documentation. “Back then, at one of the companies, it was slightly difficult because I think I was in the first foreigner batch. So, it took them a while to prepare all the documents after I got accepted,” she explained.
Her experience is not unique. Hugo Adam, a French student and vice president of the international student association at Seoul National University, highlighted that the instability of the visa process discourages companies from hiring international graduates. “When you have a D-10 visa, it’s really difficult … it’s not stable and companies don’t want to bet that you are going to stay or that maybe you will lose your visa,” Adam said.
The Visa Maze: D-10 and E-7 Challenges
Upon graduation, international students typically switch to a D-10 visa, which allows for a one-year internship. However, obtaining a more permanent work visa, such as the E-7, is a complex and uncertain process. The E-7 visa requires applicants to fit into one of 90 job codes, each with specific requirements, including company size limitations and recommendations from government ministries.
“From a company’s perspective, sponsorship is often expensive, administratively pretty complex, and time-consuming,” Adam noted. “Many employers prefer to avoid it unless they are hiring for highly qualified positions or specific skills … but not for entry-level or general jobs (past internships).”
Compounding the issue, the 450-page visa guide available on hikorea.go.kr is only in Korean, making it inaccessible to many international students. The section on E-7 visas alone spans 105 pages.
Language and Cultural Barriers
Language proficiency is another significant hurdle. Rosa Haque, an international student, was required to submit a Level 5 score on the Test of Proficiency in Korean, with interviews conducted in Korean. “Even if they do get hired (without learning Korean), it’s difficult for them to adapt to the working culture with language constraints,” she said.
Luong echoed these sentiments, admitting that her limited Korean skills hinder her. “I would like to improve it, but at the same time, I just find myself more comfortable speaking English to express myself,” she said.
Even successful job seekers face challenges in adjusting to Korea’s hierarchical work culture. “In my home city, we have designated times for naps during lunch. At first, it was hard to get used to being awake the whole day,” Yang, another international graduate, remarked with a laugh.
Entrepreneurial Aspirations and Government Response
Some international students, like Andrua Haque, opt to start their own businesses. However, this path is fraught with its own set of challenges. Haque, who co-founded a startup, found his D-2 student visa to be a barrier. “With the D-2 visa, you can set up a startup in Korea, but you can never gain any personal income from that,” he said.
Efforts to address these issues have been limited. The international student association at Seoul National University has raised concerns with government officials, highlighting visa difficulties and the lack of accessible employment information. Despite these discussions, progress has been slow.
“The job market is really hard for foreigners because even if you speak Korean, companies just don’t want to hire you,” Adam said. “They said, ‘yeah we are aware of it and we’ll try to work on it,’ but I don’t see any improvement for now at least.”
The Ministry of Education has acknowledged these challenges, stating that responsibility largely lies with local governments. “Under the RISE initiative, we provide support to local governments to help international students grow key capabilities,” a ministry official noted. The ministry is also developing new business-focused Korean language learning initiatives.
As South Korea continues to promote itself as an attractive destination for international students, the country faces the critical task of reforming its visa and employment policies to ensure these students can contribute effectively to the workforce. Without significant changes, the potential of these talented graduates may remain untapped, leaving both the students and the nation at a disadvantage.
