Employment and Settlement Statuses for Foreign Youth Raised in Korea — D-10-1, E-7-Y, and F-2-R Eligibility and Application Documents
Based on Ministry of Justice manual (2026-09-18) · Translated from the Korean original.
This program supports foreign youth raised in Korea who wish to seek work, take up employment, and settle in Korea after graduating from high school, even if they do not go on to university. Those who meet the common requirements may apply to change their status of stay to Job-Seeking (D-10-1), Korea-Grown Talent (E-7-Y), or Region-Specific Outstanding Talent (F-2-R).
At a glance
Who it is for
- You must be a lawful resident aged 18 to 24 on the date of application.
- You must have resided in Korea for at least 7 years before turning 18. Periods spent outside Korea for 91 days or more are excluded from the calculation of the period of residence.
- You must not have a history of residing overseas continuously for 3 years or more between the ages of 10 and 18.
- You must have graduated from all elementary, middle, and high schools in Korea, or have equivalent educational attainment. If you apply while enrolled in the second semester of your third year of high school, your graduation may be recognized if you submit a Certificate of Expected Graduation or similar document.
- Even if you did not graduate from some levels of elementary, middle, or high school in Korea, you may apply if you meet the age, residence, and overseas-stay requirements above and complete the Level 5 Social Integration Program course appropriate to your educational attainment.
- Job-Seeking (D-10-1) is for people who meet the common requirements and intend to undertake training or job-seeking activities to obtain employment.
- Korea-Grown Talent (E-7-Y) is for people who meet the common requirements and intend to work in a field other than a restricted industry.
- Region-Specific Outstanding Talent (F-2-R) is for people who meet the common requirements and have resided for at least 4 years in a depopulation (at-risk) area while holding D-10 or E-7-Y status.
What you can do
- You may engage in job-seeking activities under D-10-1 and must submit a Job-Seeking Activity Plan (구직활동 계획서). The points system and proof of living expenses are waived.
- You may participate in internship training under D-10-1. You must report the start of training and any change of training institution. Internships with the same company are limited to a maximum of one year.
- D-10-1 internship training is permitted in fields other than restricted industries. The training allowance must be paid in accordance with the employment contract at a rate no lower than the minimum wage, and working hours must not exceed 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week.
- To take up formal employment under D-10, you must apply for permission to change your status of stay before engaging in employment activities. You may be subject to penalties if you engage in employment activities without changing your status of stay.
- E-7-Y holders may work in fields other than restricted industries. A change of status is possible if an employment contract has been entered into, even if the occupation is not one permitted under E-7. Education and work experience requirements are waived.
- The actual-residence requirement in a depopulation (at-risk) area applies to extensions of stay under F-2-R. After 2 years from the change of status, you may move to another depopulation (at-risk) area within the same metropolitan local government.
Applications & documents
Change of Status of Stay to Job-Seeking (D-10-1)
- Integrated Application Form (통합신청서), passport, one standard-size photograph, and Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증)
- Proof of place of stay
- Certificate of graduation from an elementary, middle, or high school in Korea, or documents proving equivalent educational attainment
- Checklist for Change of Status for Foreign Youth Raised in Korea (국내 성장 기반 외국인 청소년 자격변경 체크리스트)
- Job-Seeking Activity Plan
- Certificate of Completion of the Social Integration Program (사회통합프로그램 이수증), if applicable
- Written explanation of and supporting documents for an interim long-term stay overseas, if applicable
- Foreign Criminal Record Certificate (해외범죄경력증명서) (except for exempt persons)
The points system and proof of living expenses are waived. The fee for permission to change status of stay is KRW 100,000, in accordance with the general guidance.
Change of Status of Stay to Korea-Grown Talent (E-7-Y)
- Integrated Application Form, passport, one standard-size photograph, and Alien Registration Card
- Proof of place of stay
- Certificate of graduation from an elementary, middle, or high school in Korea, or documents proving equivalent educational attainment
- Checklist for Change of Status for Foreign Youth Raised in Korea
- Employment contract
- Business-related documents, such as a Business Registration Certificate (사업자등록증) and a Certificate of Corporate Registry (법인등기부등본)
- Certificate of Completion of the Social Integration Program and supporting documents for an interim long-term stay overseas, if applicable
- Foreign Criminal Record Certificate (except for exempt persons)
The employer is reviewed to determine whether it falls into a restricted category. The fee for permission to change status of stay is KRW 100,000, in accordance with the general guidance.
Change of Status of Stay to Region-Specific Outstanding Talent (F-2-R)
- Integrated Application Form, passport, one standard-size photograph, and Alien Registration Card
- Proof of place of stay
- Certificate of graduation from an elementary, middle, or high school in Korea, or documents proving equivalent educational attainment
- Checklist for Change of Status for Foreign Youth Raised in Korea
- Documents proving residence in a depopulation (at-risk) area for at least 4 years
- Documents proving economic activity, such as a Certificate of Employment (재직증명서), if applicable
- Certificate of Completion of the Social Integration Program and supporting documents for an interim long-term stay overseas, if applicable
- Foreign Criminal Record Certificate (except for exempt persons)
A special provision applies under which only the residence requirement among the F-2-R change-of-status requirements is applied. The fee for permission to change status of stay is KRW 100,000, in accordance with the general guidance.
Extension of Period of Stay (D-10-1 · E-7-Y)
- D-10-1: Integrated Application Form, passport, Alien Registration Card, and proof of place of stay
- D-10-1: Job-Seeking Activity Plan
- E-7-Y: Employment contract
- E-7-Y: Certificate of Income (소득금액증명) for the individual foreign national for the preceding year and Certificate of Employment
- E-7-Y: Proof of tax payments by the company, Tax Payment Certificate (납세증명서), and Local Tax Payment Certificate (지방세 납세증명서)
- E-7-Y: Business Registration Certificate and Certificate of Corporate Registry (if applicable)
For E-7-Y holders who have worked for only a short time and are unable to obtain proof of income, the review may be conducted using documents issued by the company, such as a withholding tax ledger for earned income. The fee for permission to extend the period of stay is KRW 60,000, in accordance with the general guidance.
Extension of Period of Stay for Region-Specific Outstanding Talent (F-2-R)
- Integrated Application Form
- Passport and Alien Registration Card
- Documents proving your place of stay (residence)
You must actually reside in a depopulation (at-risk) area. The fee for permission to extend the period of stay is KRW 60,000, in accordance with the general guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How many years must I have resided in Korea to apply?
You must have resided in Korea for at least 7 years before turning 18. Periods spent outside Korea for 91 days or more are excluded from the calculation.
Q. Can I apply even if I did not graduate from all schools in Korea?
You may apply even if you did not graduate from some of the school levels, provided that you meet the age, residence-in-Korea, and long-term overseas stay requirements and complete the Social Integration Program (사회통합프로그램). If you did not graduate from elementary school but graduated from middle or high school, you must complete the Level 5 Basic Course; if you graduated from elementary school but did not graduate from middle or high school, you must complete the Level 5 Advanced Course.
Q. Can I apply before graduating from high school?
If you apply while enrolled in the second semester of your third year of high school to work or participate in training, your graduation may be recognized if you submit a Certificate of Expected Graduation (졸업예정증명서) or similar document.
Q. Can I start working right away under job-seeking status (D-10-1)?
Once you are formally hired, you must apply for permission to change your status of stay before engaging in employment activities. You may be subject to penalties if you engage in employment activities under job-seeking status without permission to change your status of stay.
Q. Can I participate in internship training under status D-10-1?
Yes. You must report the start of the training and any change of training institution. Internships with the same company are limited to a maximum of one year. There are also restrictions on the training field, allowance, and working hours.
Q. Can I apply for E-7-Y even if I do not meet the education or work experience requirements?
Under this program, education and work experience requirements are waived. You may apply to change your status if you have entered into an employment contract, even if the position is not one of the occupations permitted under E-7. However, you may not work in a restricted industry.
Q. When can I apply for F-2-R?
You must meet the common requirements and have resided for at least 4 years in a depopulation (at-risk) area while holding D-10 or E-7-Y status. When applying for an extension after changing status, you must actually reside in the relevant area.
Q. Do I need additional documents if I have stayed overseas for a long time?
You must submit a written explanation and supporting documents if, within the 7 years before turning 18, you left Korea for 6 months or more at a time, or if your total time outside Korea was 2 years or more but less than 3 years. If you cannot substantiate the reason for your long-term stay overseas, this may affect whether permission is granted.
Watch out for
- In addition to the common requirements, applicants are subject to reviews of compliance with laws and regulations, good conduct, and whether they fall into a restricted category. The common application documents include a foreign criminal record certificate, except for those exempt under the manual.
- If you qualify as having had a long-term stay overseas during your schooling, prepare a written explanation and supporting documents. You are advised to submit documents verifying your place of residence that show where you actually live.
- The main text states that notification of the start of D-10-1 training must be made within 15 days of the date the relevant reason arises. However, the guidance for the Job-Seeking Activity Plan states that notification must be made 14 days before internship activities begin. It is advisable to check with the competent Immigration Office or Foreigners Office (출입국·외국인관서) before applying.
- As a rule, the period of stay granted cannot exceed the validity period of the passport.
Source
Compiled by AI from the Ministry of Justice "Visa Issuance Guide Manual" and "Residence Guide Manual" (HiKorea notice, in Korean). hikorea.go.kr
This is general guidance; the immigration office makes the final decision. Before applying, check the latest rules on HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.