Hello, this is Kowork!
This summer, many companies are offering internships for international students.
As a result, Kowork has received many inquiries and requests regarding internships for international students.
There is a specific visa created by the immigration office for internships called the D-10-1 visa!
Today, we will learn about the D-10-1 visa.
What is the D-10-1 visa?
The official name of the D-10-1 visa is the "Job Seeker" visa, and it is also known as the job-seeking or internship visa.
It allows for job-seeking activities and internship activities before full-time employment in professional fields covered by the E-1 to E-7 visas.
Note: Intern work is not allowed in simple labor or production jobs (e.g., manufacturing, construction, English kid cafes).
It is rare for D-2 (undergraduate/graduate students) and D-4 (language trainees) visa holders to directly obtain the E-7 professional work visa for employment.
Therefore, most international students/language trainees change their visa from D-2, D-4 to D-10-1 and aim to get hired by companies that support the E-7 professional work visa through internships or job-seeking activities.
Can D-2 (undergraduate/graduate students) and D-4 (language trainees) visa holders work as interns?
For D-2 (undergraduate/graduate students) visa holders, it is possible to work as interns only during vacation periods.
However, since internship activities fall under "activities beyond the visa status" that generate income, approval from the immigration office is required, and vacation periods may not be sufficient to serve as a training period.
For D-4 (language trainees) visa holders, internship work is not allowed.
Here are some features of the D-10-1 visa that HR managers should note:
Features of the D-10-1 visa
The D-10 visa allows a stay of six months at a time and can be extended up to a maximum of two years.
Internship activities are allowed for a maximum of one year within the two-year period, with a limit of six months per company.
Examples:
- Company A: 6 months / Company B: 6 months = 1 year
- Company A: 6 months / Company B: 3 months / Company C: 3 months = 1 year
Advantages of hiring D-10-1 visa holders as interns
- You can evaluate the job fit for up to six months before issuing the E-7 visa.
- The probation period can be shortened when converting to a full-time position.
- Full-time work is allowed.
- Simple internship reporting procedure.
Points to Note
If the individual has previously obtained an E-7 visa, they cannot work as an intern on a D-10-1 visa. They can only stay in Korea and seek a job under the D-10-1 visa. They need to change their visa status to the E-7 visa immediately.
The immigration office created the D-10-1 visa for a probation period before issuing the E-7 visa for formal employment. Therefore, if the individual/company does not meet the E-7 qualification requirements, the immigration office may reject the internship report.
Required Documents for D-10-1 Visa Internship Report
- Application form
- Internship labor contract
- Copy of the company's business registration certificate
- List of company employees registered for employment insurance
The internship must be reported to the immigration office within 15 days of starting the internship.
Reports can be submitted via fax (1577-1346).
This concludes our introduction to the D-10-1 visa.
The D-10-1 visa is designed for a probation period before issuing the E-7 visa for formal employment. Therefore, when hiring D-10-1 visa holders as interns, be sure to consider the E-7 qualification requirements.
Please verify whether the job position for the internship has an E-7 occupation code and whether the candidate meets the E-7 qualification requirements before proceeding with the hiring.
If you have any questions about the E-7 requirements or hiring D-10-1 visa holders, feel free to contact Kowork anytime. 😎
