Part-Time Work in Korea on a D-2 or D-4 Visa (2026): Hours, Rules and Permission

D-2 & D-4 Student Work Guide

If you plan to study in Korea and rely on a part-time job for living expenses, there is one important point to understand before you make your budget: a D-2 or D-4 visa does not automatically let you start working.

You need to check when your visa category becomes eligible, how many hours you may work, whether the job itself is permitted, and then receive approval before your first shift.

1. When can you apply?

2. How many hours can you work?

There is no single answer for everyone with a student visa. Your permitted hours depend on your program, year of study, whether you meet the Korean-language standard, and whether an additional accredited-university, academic-excellence or Korean-proficiency condition applies.

The table below is a reading guide to the current official table. The hours written on your own permit are the final limit.

Are you in an English-track program? The immigration manual lists separate TOEFL, IELTS, CEFR and TEPS evidence, with an exemption for nationals of countries where English is an official language. Ask your international office which document applies to your program before relying on the Korean-language column above.

Students who finished the normal program period but received an exceptional extension because they did not meet graduation requirements are generally excluded. A limited exception may apply to master’s or doctoral students preparing a thesis. In that situation, the limit is 30 hours per week and the unlimited weekend, public-holiday and vacation rule does not apply.

3. What kinds of jobs are allowed?

The basic rule covers work that students commonly do and can reasonably combine with study. Government guidance gives examples such as restaurant assistance, general office assistance, tourism-guide assistance and duty-free shop sales assistance.

These are examples, not a promise that every job with a similar title will be approved. Immigration looks at the actual duties, employer and work arrangement.

Jobs that are restricted or need separate review

• Manufacturing, construction and seafarer work: generally restricted. A manufacturing exception may apply to students with Korean proficiency equivalent to Level 4 or higher.
• Platform or dependent-contractor work: delivery riders, couriers, designated drivers and similar work are restricted.
• Dispatch, subcontracting or job-placement arrangements: generally restricted.
• Private tutoring: strictly limited because the place, students and nature of the activity require special review.
• Professional E-1 through E-7 work: a different status-specific rule normally applies. Some assistant roles and internships may qualify for an exception, but you must confirm this in advance.
• Long-distance work or an employer with immigration violations: permission may be restricted.

Being able to create an account on a delivery or freelance platform does not mean the work is legal under your visa. Platform registration is not a substitute for immigration permission.

4. How do you apply?

1. Confirm the job and working conditions.
   Sign a standard employment contract with the employer shown on the business registration. It should state your hourly wage, duties, location and working hours.
2. Get university confirmation.
   Ask your international student adviser to complete or confirm the international-student part-time employment form.
3. Prepare the documents.
   The usual set includes the application form, passport, residence card, grade or attendance record, language evidence where applicable, university confirmation form, business registration copy, employer ID copy and employment contract. An additional compliance form is required in applicable manufacturing or construction cases.
4. Submit the application.
   Use the relevant Hi Korea online service or apply at the immigration office with jurisdiction over your address.
5. Check the permit before your first shift.
   Do not treat application submission as approval. Check the permitted employer, location, period and hours.

5. Can you work at more than one place or change employers?

6. What happens if you work without permission?

The official manual separates working without permission from violating the conditions of a permit you already received.

• For a first case of unauthorized work, a minor violation may be handled through a penalty notice followed by permission to stay. A second case falls under the deportation standard.
• Unauthorized construction work is subject to a departure-order standard regardless of the number of previous cases.
• Violation of permit conditions is handled through a severe warning for the first case, loss of part-time work permission during the study period for the second, and cancellation of student status for the third.

The outcome of an individual case can still depend on the facts and official review. This is why the guide does not claim that one violation automatically creates a permanent ban on every future D-10 or E-7 application, or that a scholarship is always cancelled immediately.

Before accepting a job: six checks

• I know my exact D-2 or D-4 subcategory.
• If I hold D-4-1, D-4-7 or D-2-8, I checked the six-month requirement.
• My international office confirmed my language evidence and permitted hours.
• The contract states the real employer, workplace, duties, hourly wage and schedule.
• I checked whether the work involves manufacturing, construction, delivery, dispatch, private tutoring or another restricted arrangement.
• I will wait for the permit before starting work.

What comes after student part-time work?

Part-time work permission is not the same as changing to a full-time work visa. If you are planning beyond graduation, use the guide that matches your next decision.

• Changing from D-2 or D-4 to the D-10 job-seeker visa
• From studying in Korea to a full-time career
• How much Korean do you need to work in Korea?

Last reviewed: August 16, 2026. Immigration guidance can change. Before applying, confirm your own case with your university’s international office, the latest Hi Korea guidance or the Immigration Contact Center at 1345 in Korea.