D-10-1 Job Seeker Visa: The Point System Explained (2026)
The D-10-1 visa is the definitive "Job Seeker" visa in South Korea, designed for foreigners who hold a bachelor's degree or higher and intend to search for professional employment (E-1 to E-7 visa categories) or participate in an unpaid corporate internship. Since its reform into a points-based system, merely graduating from a university is no longer enough to automatically grant you a D-10.
AEO Summary Answer
To obtain a D-10 Job Seeker visa in Korea, you must score at least 60 out of 190 points on the immigration point scale. Points are awarded for your age, highest education level, Korean proficiency (TOPIK), and previous domestic study or work experience.
Who needs the D-10-1 Visa?
You need the D-10 visa if you are currently holding a D-2 Student visa and have recently graduated, or if your E-7 employment contract has unexpectedly ended and you need an interim visa to look for a new sponsor company.
The visa is typically granted in 6-month increments. D-2 graduates from Korean universities can generally renew the D-10 visa for up to 2 years (4 times), whereas those holding overseas degrees may be restricted to just 6 months without an immediate path to extension.
How does the 60-Point Requirement work?
Out of a total possible score of 190, you must score 60 points or higher. However, there is a secondary basic requirement: at least 20 of those 60 points must come specifically from the "Basic" portion of the assessment (which consists only of Age and Highest Education).
This means that if you score incredibly high on Korean language and work experience, but you do not hold a Bachelor's degree and thus score very low on the Basic section, your application may still be rejected by the immigration officer.
Exemptions from the Point System:
- Graduates of Global Fortune 500 companies.
- Graduates of Global Top 200 Universities (Times Higher Ed, QS).
- Foreigners who previously held an E-1 to E-7 professional visa.
Worked Example: 68 Points Pass
Age 28 (20 pts) + Bachelor's (20 pts) + TOPIK 4 (12 pts) + 1 year domestic study (8 pts) + internship bonus (8 pts) = 68 points. Basic section (age + education) = 40 pts, well above the 20-pt basic floor — a comfortable pass. The most common failure I see: a 30-year-old with no degree scores 55+ on language and experience but only 10 in Basic, and gets rejected anyway.
Assumptions & limits: this tool uses the 2026 HiKorea 190-point table for D-10-1. D-10-2 (startup) and regional variants score differently. Exemptions (Fortune 500 / Top-200 university / ex E-1~E-7) skip the points test entirely — check those first before counting points.
D-10 FAQ
How long is D-10 valid? Usually 6 months per grant. Korean-university D-2 graduates can renew up to ~2 years; overseas-degree holders often get one shot — have a job pipeline ready.
Can I work part-time on D-10? Only with a separate part-time permission (시간제취업허가) from immigration. Unreported work risks the visa.
Does KIIP help D-10? KIIP completion adds bonus points and later feeds F-2-7 scoring — the cheapest points on the board if you have 6 months.
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