"Do I need 60 points for a D-10 visa?" The default for general job seeker (D-10-1) status is the points system: out of 190 points, at least 20 points from the basic items and a total of 60 points or more are required (as of 2026). However, a graduate who obtained an associate degree or higher at a Korean university under study (D-2) status and changes to job seeker (D-10-1) status for the first time is not subject to the points system; one year of stay is granted, and the points system applies from the first extension.
The D-10 subcategories and scope of activity
D-10 covers job-seeking activity aimed at employment in the fields corresponding to professor (E-1) through designated activities (E-7), together with short-term paid internships before formal employment. It should be noted that entertainment work at adult establishments (E-6-2) is excluded from the permitted fields. The subcategories and their stay ceilings are as follows (as of 2026).
| Subcategory | Who it covers | Stay ceiling |
|---|---|---|
| D-10-1 General job seeker | Job seekers and trainees aiming at E-1 to E-7 employment (points system or an exemption category) | Up to 3 years (varies by points and type) |
| D-10-2 Start-up preparation | Holders of a bachelor's degree or higher (including Korean associate degrees) preparing a business — patent holders or applicants, OASIS trainees and the like | Up to 1–3 years by type (6 months or 1 year per grant) |
| D-10-3 Advanced-technology intern | Students or graduates within 3 years, in advanced-technology fields at leading world universities (THE top 200, QS top 500), under 30 (under 35 for master's or above) | Up to 3 years (1 year per grant) |
| D-10-T Top-tier talent | Holders of a master's degree or higher obtained within the last 5 years from a university ranked in the world top 100 | Up to 3 years (1 year per grant) |
The permitted activities also differ by subcategory. Start-up preparation (D-10-2) covers preparatory activities such as start-up immigration training, patent applications and preparation for incorporation, and internships are restricted. Advanced-technology intern (D-10-3) status covers internship activity in advanced-technology fields under a contract with a qualifying company or institution.
The points system and the exemption categories
The D-10-1 points system consists of basic items (age, education), optional items (work experience, study in Korea, Korean-language ability), bonus points (official recommendations, leading universities and the like), and deductions for penalty-notice and criminal-fine records. The calculation structure and the deduction and disqualification criteria are covered separately in Part 2 of this series.
Several exemption categories exist. 1) A graduate who obtained an associate degree or higher at a Korean university under study (D-2) status and changes to job seeker (D-10-1) status for the first time — a person who has departed Korea is also covered if they apply for a D-10 visa within one year of the graduation date, while a person who previously held D-10 status is no longer a first-time applicant and is scored under the points system. 2) A graduate of a regular Korean university within three years of the degree date with strong Korean — Korea Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP) stage 4 interim-exam pass or TOPIK level 4 or higher; after three years, the general points system applies. 3) A foreign youth raised in Korea, aged 18 to 24, who completed Korean elementary, middle and high school. 4) Promising talent aged 29 or under: graduates of universities ranked in the THE or QS top 200 with a bachelor's degree or higher, or Korean-studies majors with TOPIK level 6. Separate criteria also exist for graduates of the long-term care worker training course, for former E-1 to E-7 professionals whose employment has ended, and for interns at foreign missions in Korea (as of 2026).
The benefit of the exemptions goes beyond skipping the calculation: for most exemption categories, the proof of living funds required in ordinary applications is waived, easing the burden on graduates who cannot hold funds in an account immediately after finishing their studies. It should be noted, however, that even an exempt applicant is barred where disqualification grounds exist — such as a sentence of imprisonment or heavier within the last five years, or a criminal fine of KRW 3M or more within the last three years.
Internship and part-time work rules
During D-10-1 stay, internships are possible in the E-1 to E-7 fields, subject to two rules. 1) Internship activity at the same company may not exceed one cumulative year; there is no limit on total internship time and no minimum per company, so internships can continue across several companies within the one-year-per-company limit. 2) The start of an internship, and any change of host organization, must be reported within 15 days of the triggering date, and a report that would exceed one year at the same company is rejected. Meanwhile, D-10-2 holders and former E-1 to E-7 professionals who changed into D-10-1 may not undertake internships.
Part-time work is a separate concession, permitted only to D-10-1 holders (excluding D-10-2 and D-10-3) who meet all of the following: 1) an associate degree or higher from a Korean university, 2) less than three years since the degree date, 3) KIIP stage 4 or higher, or TOPIK level 4 or higher, and 4) no history of stay under E-1 to E-7 status. The permitted hours are 25 per week on weekdays, with no limit on weekends and public holidays, rising to 30 weekday hours for those who have completed KIIP stage 5 or higher. The permitted fields follow the student part-time work fields, except that manufacturing is open only to those who completed KIIP stage 4 or higher — TOPIK scores alone do not qualify — and agriculture has no language requirement. It should be noted that working before permission is granted can expose both the job seeker and the employer to punishment.
Stay periods, the extension review and re-entry
The overall ceiling is three years, differentiated by type. A new graduate who changed under the exemption receives one year, and from the first extension the points system applies: 80 points or more allows one year per grant up to three years in total, while 60 to 79 points allows six months per grant up to one year. Former E-1 to E-7 professionals and long-term care course graduates also receive six months per grant (as of 2026). The ceiling is computed within the period of stay in Korea; it resets where the person fully departs and re-enters on a newly issued visa, and the period is not counted where an E-1 to E-7 holder changes to D-10-1 because of a business closure or suspension.
The extension review also examines the substance of your job-seeking activity beyond the points, so records of internships, interviews and applications, and completed training, should be kept organized during the stay. Meanwhile, a registered foreign national re-entering within one year of departure is exempt from the re-entry permit requirement, so temporary travel during the job search is possible within the period of stay — though persons subject to entry or visa-issuance restrictions must obtain a re-entry permit separately.
When there is a past employment history
Suppose, for example, a person whose employment under designated activities (E-7) has ended and who is considering a change to job seeker (D-10-1) status. Which rules govern cannot be judged on general criteria alone: even where the change is allowed as a former professional, the stay ceiling is limited to six months per grant and one year in total, internships are not permitted, and the part-time work concession is unavailable to anyone with E-1 to E-7 history — several rules operate at once.
In such matters, 1) how the previous employment contract ended and any remaining term, 2) the prospect of concluding a contract with a new employer, 3) the expected score if the points system applies, and 4) the job-search schedule within the stay ceiling are examined together, and the advantageous application type and timing can differ accordingly, so case-by-case review is required.
The order of preparation around graduation
Taking the above together, when graduation is confirmed it is advisable first to check which exemption category or subcategory applies to you; to apply for the change before your study (D-2) status expires; and during the stay, to observe the internship reporting duty and the part-time work requirements while keeping records of job-seeking activity in preparation for the extension review.
Frequently asked questions
The Visa & Immigration Center of Law Firm Lawyeon provides legal services specialized in the integrated handling of Korean immigration and visa matters together with criminal cases and immigration-violation reviews, built on extensive case experience, professional networks, and practical knowledge.
The Center was founded through the organic collaboration of attorneys Junwoo Min, Dohyun Nam, and Seungchul Kim — criminal-law specialists who have advised across a wide range of immigration matters — with Senior Advisor Taemin Ahn, who has served at the Seoul Global Center, as a center head at the Ministry of Justice's Global Start-up Immigration Center, and as a member of the Foreign Workers' Rights Protection Council of the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Administration. It is Law Firm Lawyeon's dedicated center for immigration practice.
In particular, for departure orders and entry-ban dispositions that follow a final criminal conviction, the Center presents effective solutions through an integrated strategy spanning criminal defense, objections to the disposition, and applications to lift the entry ban, and it supports stable business activity in Korea by managing many clients' immigration risk.
This article is intended as general information about the relevant legal framework and is not legal advice on any individual matter. Determinations concerning immigration status may differ depending on specific facts such as residence history, income and contractual relationships. If your situation requires individual review, you may request a consultation with the Immigration Support Center of Law Firm Lawyeon (lawyeonvisa.app).