1 in 9 international students in South Korea overstay visas or work without permission: study

Research by Kim Gyu-chan, an associate professor at Gangneung-Wonju National University, found that 34,267 international students became unauthorized residents in 2024, Korea Times reported.

The figure is more than five times higher than a decade earlier and reflects what the study describes as a widening gap between student recruitment, labor policy and long-term integration.

Citing data from the Ministry of Justice, the study shows that unauthorized stays accounted for 11.6% of all former D-2 university student visa holders and D-4 language trainee visa holders in both 2023 and 2024, after peaking at 15.7% in 2022. While overall foreign student numbers have surged, Kim argues that the stability and legality of their stays have deteriorated.

Vietnamese students made up the largest share of those who overstayed or worked illegally. Among former D-2 visa holders, nearly 70% were Vietnamese, while the figure rose to almost 89% among D-4 language trainees, Korea Herald reported.

Students at Hanyang University in South Korea. Photo courtesy of Hanyang University Fanpage

Kim cautioned that the rapid expansion of language programs could worsen the problem if structural weaknesses in recruitment and support are not addressed.

The study points to rigid visa rules as a key driver. Job-seeking D-10 visas allow extensions but sharply limit income opportunities, often leaving graduates unable to support themselves. At the same time, E-7 skilled worker visas require salary thresholds that many small and medium-sized firms cannot meet, especially for humanities and liberal arts graduates. These barriers, Kim said, frequently push students into unauthorized work.

The findings come as the government presses ahead with its Study Korea 300K initiative, which aims to attract 300,000 international students by 2027. Immigration policy documents also frame foreign students as a future skilled workforce, but Kim argues that current systems treat them as temporary labor rather than long-term residents.

He also criticized the International Education Quality Assurance System, which uses illegal stay rates as a factor in university evaluations. The approach, he said, shifts immigration enforcement onto academic institutions and diverts attention away from education quality and career support.

To close the gap between policy goals and reality, Kim urged South Korea to adopt models used in countries such as Germany and Japan, where international education is integrated into national talent strategies. He proposed a unified digital platform linking education and immigration data, dedicated career centers for foreign students, and incentives for universities that build strong ties with local employers.

"International students must be recognized as future residents and valuable human resources," Kim said, warning that without structural reform, the number of unauthorized stays is likely to keep rising.