From D-2 or D-10 to Professional Status (E-1 to E-7) — Three Requirements

Overview

The most common route from study to work in Korea is changing status from D-2 or D-10 to a professional status (E-1 to E-7).

The manual requires all three conditions to be met: lawful residence, meeting the requirements of the target professional status, and having concluded an employment contract.

At a Glance

Scope of Activity

• Change from D-2 or D-10 to a professional status (E-1 to E-7)
• Change by F-3 spouses of professional personnel to a professional status

Who Qualifies

• Persons lawfully residing on D-10
• D-2 holders who are prospective graduates meeting the requirements for changing to D-10
• D-2 students who already hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a home-country or third-country university and meet the required experience
• F-3 dependants of holders of E-1 to E-5, E-6 (excluding E-6-2) or E-7

Required Documents

• Application form (Form No. 34), passport and ARC, fee
• Employment contract (copy, or original and copy)
• Copy of the business registration certificate, or the permit/registration certificate for regulated businesses
• Copies of degree and licence certificates, career certificate
• Employment recommendation from the competent minister where required for the status
• For spouses of professionals: business registration certificate, degree certificate (original and copy) or career certificate, employment contract (original and copy), and the current employer's consent where applicable

Application Process

1. Check eligibility — confirm your current status, career, degree and contract type match the requirements.
2. Prepare documents — foreign public documents need a translator's certification plus an apostille (or consular confirmation for non-member states).
3. Book a visit — reserve a slot at your Immigration Office via HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr), or file online where e-Application is available.
4. File and pay — submit the Integrated Application Form (Form No. 34) and pay the screening fee.
5. Review — respond to any request for supplementary documents within the deadline.
6. Result — on approval, the period of stay and status are granted; reissue your ARC if required.

Key Points

• Certain engineers providing specialised natural-science knowledge or special industrial technology may be granted a change to E-4 regardless of their current status.
• German nationals entering visa-free (B-1) may change to any long-term status except D-3, E-9 and H-1, for the maximum period applicable to that status.
• Status change is restricted for holders of E-9, E-10 and G-1.
• H-2 cannot be reached by status change from another status.
• Documents issued in Korea must normally be dated within 3 months unless another validity period applies.
• Documents already on file in your alien registration record need not be resubmitted.
• Health certificates, drug test results and pre-employment medical reports must be submitted sealed by the issuing hospital (do not open).
• You must be in Korea when applying; leaving the country after filing may result in refusal.
• Screening fees are non-refundable once the application is accepted.
• The head of the Immigration Office may add or waive documents where necessary for review.

Frequently Asked Questions

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