Working legally

My friend's café is hiring. Can I start this weekend?

Wait!

Before you work even one hour, you need a part-time work permit from immigration.

Remember this: permit first, work second. Always.

Applying is not the same as being approved. Start only after your permit is granted.

The fee is twenty thousand won.

Oh… so a receipt isn't enough.

Exactly. And your permit is for a specific workplace. Changing or adding a job?

Get approval first.

If you're in a language course on a D-4 visa,

you can apply only after six months in Korea.

Your weekday hours depend on your program, your year, and your Korean level.

Meet the Korean standard, and your hours go up.

And what about weekends?

Degree students who meet the Korean standard have no hour limit on weekends,

public holidays, and vacations.

Are there jobs I'm not allowed to do?

Yes.

Delivery riding, quick service, designated driving, insurance sales, home-study

tutoring, and door-to-door sales are not allowed.

Neither are construction or dispatch work.

Manufacturing is also off-limits, unless you have TOPIK level four or higher.

When you do start, sign a written contract.

In 2027, the minimum wage is ten thousand seven hundred won an hour.

Working without a permit is illegal.

It can mean a heavy fine, even prison, and being sent home. It can end your studies.

Permit first, work second. Got it.

Let's wrap up: register within ninety days, report a move within fifteen,

keep your insurance paid, and get your permit first.

Next, find your weekly hours with the calculator,

and enter your arrival date to see your registration deadline.

Then, in Module 8: how to keep your status while you study.

See you there!