D-10 Job Seeker Visa Subtypes in Korea — D-10-1, D-10-2, D-10-3, and D-10-T Explained
The D-10 visa is Korea's job seeker and startup preparation visa for foreigners who want to find work or start a business in Korea after graduating or completing a work assignment. Most people know D-10 as a generic 'job seeker visa,' but it actually has four distinct subtypes — each designed for a different situation.
Written by James Chae — Co-Founder, Expert Sapiens
Platform expertise: Immigration consulting & visa services · Reviewed September 2026
Review & source basis
Reviewed against
James Chae, 행정사 (Korean Licensed Administrative Attorney). License No. 220-06-06463 · 대한행정사회 (Korean Administrative Agents Association). Reviewed against the HiKorea 사증·체류업무 자격별 안내 매뉴얼 and cross-checked with Ministry of Justice issuances.
Last reviewed
September 4, 2026
Source references
Filing caution
Requirements can change by nationality, local immigration office, and filing channel. Confirm exact requirements with HiKorea, the responsible Korean consulate, or a licensed immigration specialist before filing.
D-10-1: General job seeker
The most common subtype. D-10-1 is for foreigners who have graduated from a Korean university (associate degree or higher) or an overseas university (bachelor's or higher) or who have completed a work visa assignment in Korea and want to stay to look for new employment.
Eligibility: • Korean university graduate (associate degree or higher) • OR overseas university graduate in a field relevant to an E-7-eligible occupation, with relevant work experience • OR former E-series work visa holder who has left their job and wants to search for new employment
Stay duration: up to 3 years in total, granted 1 year at a time, if you score 80+ points or fall in a listed group (for example recent graduates of top-ranked universities, or Korean-university graduates with TOPIK 4+); up to 1 year in total, granted 6 months at a time, if you score 60–79 points or are a former E-1–E-7 worker. First-time D-2 graduates get 1 year on their first grant.
Work restriction: No regular employment without changing status. The status covers job-seeking activities and short-term paid internships (reported to immigration within 15 days); some recent Korean-university graduates can also get a limited part-time work permit (see the FAQ).
How applications and renewals are assessed: D-10-1 has used a points system since October 2018. You need 60 points or more out of 190, with at least 20 from the basic items (age and education). Renewals are assessed on the same table, and your score sets your total stay (80+ points: up to 3 years; 60–79 points: up to 1 year). First-time D-2 graduates and a few other groups are exempt from the points test. See the D-10-1 points calculator guide for the full table.
Each application and extension needs a job-seeking activity plan (구직활동 계획서).
D-10-2: Startup preparation (기술창업준비)
D-10-2 is for foreigners who want to start a tech-based business in Korea. OASIS training is one of four ways to qualify, not the only one.
Eligibility: • A bachelor's degree or higher (a Korean associate degree also counts), plus ONE of the following: • Holding, or having applied for, a Korean patent, utility model or design right • Taking part in OASIS (창업이민종합지원시스템) training at a Global Startup Immigration Center, or having completed part or all of it within the last 3 years • Taking part in the K-Startup Grand Challenge with a recommendation from the head of the Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development (창업진흥원) • Holding intellectual property registered in an OECD country
Every applicant also submits a technology startup plan (기술창업계획서).
Stay duration: up to 3 years in total (1 year per grant) for holders of a registered Korean patent, utility model or design right, holders of OECD-country intellectual property, K-Startup Grand Challenge participants and people scoring 35+ on the startup-immigration points table; up to 1 year in total (6 months per grant) for people who qualify through a pending IP application or OASIS training alone
Pathway: D-10-2 is designed to transition holders into D-8-4 (startup visa) once the business is incorporated and operational.
D-10-3: Advanced technology intern (첨단기술분야 인턴)
D-10-3 is a newer subtype for advanced technology sector interns — graduates of highly ranked universities who come to Korea for a structured internship in a strategic technology sector.
Eligibility: • Current student (bachelor's level or above) or graduate within the last 3 years, in an advanced-technology field, at the main campus of an overseas university ranked in the THE top 200 or QS top 500; under 30 years old (under 35 with a master's or higher) • Internship offer from a Korean company in a designated advanced technology sector (semiconductors, AI, bio, aerospace, etc.) • Valid job offer or internship agreement
Stay duration: 1 year per grant (never longer than the internship contract), up to 3 years in total
Key benefit: D-10-3 holders have an expedited pathway to E-7. The internship experience itself counts toward E-7 qualification after the period ends.
D-10-T: Preliminary Top-Tier job seeker (예비톱티어 구직)
D-10-T is the shared job-seeker entry point for Korea's Top-Tier talent program (restructured June 25, 2026, with a MOTIE-recommended advanced-industry track and a newer MSIT-recommended science/academia track — see the dedicated Top-Tier guide).
Eligibility: a single bar — a master's degree or higher, obtained within the last 5 years, from a university that placed in the top 100 on at least one of six named world rankings (QS World, QS by Subject: Engineering & Technology, THE World, THE by Subject: Engineering, US News Best Global, or US News Best Global for Engineering). No ministry recommendation is required for D-10-T itself.
Stay duration: issued as a 6-month single-entry visa at consular discretion; in-country status changes grant 1 year at a time, with up to 3 years total of free job-search/prep runway.
Family: only a spouse and minor children can join on F-3-10 — D-10-T holders cannot sponsor parents or a domestic helper (those are only available once you reach full Top-Tier status).
Key benefit: once employed, D-10-T holders transition directly into whichever Top-Tier tier they qualify for (E-7-T, or straight to F-2-T) rather than restarting through a standard work-visa process.
Choosing the right D-10 subtype
Summary comparison:
| D-10-1 | D-10-2 | D-10-3 | D-10-T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | General job seekers | Startup founders | Top-uni tech interns | World-top-100 master's+ holders |
| Stay | Up to 3 years (80+ points) or 1 year (60–79 points) | Up to 3 years or 1 year, by qualifying route | Up to 3 years (1 year per grant) | 6mo visa, up to 3yr total |
| Work allowed? | Job seeking and reported internships; limited part-time work with a permit | Startup prep only | Internship only | Job seeking and reported internships |
| Pathway | E-series / F-2-7 | D-8-4 startup | E-7 | Top-Tier (E-7-T or straight to F-2-T) |
If you are a recent Korean university graduate, D-10-1 is your standard option. If you want to start a business, look at D-10-2 combined with OASIS enrollment. If you hold a master's or higher from a world-top-100 university, D-10-T gives you the most job-search runway and the fastest path into Top-Tier residency.
Tips from 행정사s
D-10-1 has a total cap of 3 years (80+ points or a listed group) or 1 year (60–79 points, or former E-1–E-7 workers) — once you reach your cap you must change to a work status or depart Korea.
D-10-2 applicants: OASIS is one qualifying route, not a requirement — a Korean patent, utility model or design right (held or applied for), intellectual property registered in an OECD country, or a K-Startup Grand Challenge recommendation also qualifies. If you use the OASIS route, bring the course completion certificate or proof of participation.
D-10-T applicants: prepare a job-seeking plan and your master's or doctoral graduation certificate (or degree certificate) from the main campus of the qualifying university. Documents issued abroad need an apostille or Korean consular confirmation.
While on D-10, you CAN take Korean language classes, attend startup events, and go to interviews — these are all permitted job-seeking activities.
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Visa Process
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
The Alien Registration Card (ARC) is the official ID card issued to foreigners staying in South Korea for 91 days or longer. It is required to open a bank account, sign a phone contract, and access most public services.
Visa Process
HiKorea
How to use HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr) — Korea's official immigration portal for visa extensions, status changes, and ARC renewal. Processing time: 3-10 business days.
Visa Process
Visa Extension (Stay Period Extension)
A visa extension — officially called a 'stay period extension' (체류기간 연장) in Korean immigration law — allows a foreigner to legally remain in Korea beyond the expiry date on their current visa or ARC without leaving the country.
Visa Process
Status of Sojourn Change (체류자격 변경)
A status of sojourn change allows a foreigner already in South Korea to switch from one visa category to another without leaving the country — for example, from a D-2 student visa to an E-7 skilled worker visa upon graduation and employment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I extend D-10-1 beyond 1 year?
It depends on your points. If you score 80 or more (or fall in a listed group such as recent graduates of top-ranked universities), the total cap is 3 years, granted 1 year at a time. If you score 60–79, or you moved to D-10-1 after an E-1–E-7 job, the cap is 1 year, granted 6 months at a time. Each extension is assessed under the points system.
Can I work part-time while on D-10?
Only in limited cases. D-10 is for job seeking, and D-10-1 and D-10-T holders may also do short-term paid internships if they report them to immigration within 15 days (not open to people who moved to D-10-1 after an E-1–E-7 job). Separately, a D-10-1 holder can get a part-time work permit (체류자격외활동허가) if they hold a Korean associate degree or higher earned less than 3 years ago, have KIIP Stage 4+ or TOPIK Level 4+, and have never held E-1–E-7 status. The permit covers manufacturing (KIIP Stage 4+ only) and agriculture, up to 25 hours on weekdays (30 with KIIP Stage 5+). D-10-2 and D-10-3 holders cannot get this permit. Working without the permit or report is a violation.
What is the OASIS program for D-10-2?
OASIS (Overseas Access to Startup & Investment in Korea) is a government-run startup support program for foreign entrepreneurs. It includes business mentoring, co-working space access, visa support, and connections to Korean investors and accelerators. Taking part in OASIS training is one way to qualify for D-10-2; it is not a prerequisite. Visit the K-Startup website (kstartup.or.kr) for current application cycles.
I'm a PhD in AI — which D-10 should I apply for?
A PhD alone does not decide it. D-10-T depends on where and when you earned the degree: a master's or higher, obtained within the last 5 years, from a university ranked in the world top 100 on one of the six named rankings. If you meet that, D-10-T gives up to 3 years of job-search time (1 year per grant in Korea) and, once you are hired, a route into Top-Tier status (E-7-T or F-2-T). If you do not, apply for D-10-1 under the points system. Prepare a job-seeking plan and your graduation or degree certificate.