For international students in Korea, finding a part-time job can mean more than earning a paycheck. It can help cover the costs of life abroad, support their families, or provide work experience while studying. But before they can earn that paycheck, they must navigate a complicated process. "The biggest challenge was understanding the visa regulations," said Marta Spedicato, a senior from Italy. Her experience reflects a common hurdle for international students, who must understand not only what jobs they can take, but also how to secure approval to work. Against this backdrop, The University Life spoke with Kyung Hee University (KHU) students, local business owners, and university staff to find out what part-time work really looks like for international students.

A Structural Pattern

A 2025 report by the Migration Research and Training Centre (MRTC), A Study on the Socio-Economic Impact of the Inflow of International Students in Korea, found that international students' part-time work has become a regular part of Korea's service industry rather than just a temporary way to earn money. The report also found that employers increasingly rely on international students as a cost-effective source of labor for jobs that often pay minimum wage, similar to the service-sector jobs also taken by domestic students. However, international students can face additional difficulties in this labor market, particularly when they are unfamiliar with Korean labor
laws, visa requirements and workplace practices.

International students cook at a food stall at the Sokcho Central Market in Gangwon 

Photo:The JoongAng (koreajoongangdaily.com)

Navigating the Rules

For international students at KHU, the challenges can begin before work even starts. According to the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) guidance on part-time employment, to obtain the mandatory part-time work permit, KHU students are first required to complete the online "Understanding Korean Law" lecture. They are then required to submit various documents, including their language qualifications, labor contract, and the potential employer's business registration certificate, through the Hi-Korea system. Approved foreign undergraduates can work up to 30 hours a week, but some jobs, including tutoring, English academies, and delivery work, are still prohibited.

On paper, the process may look straightforward. For students navigating it for the first time, however, understanding the requirements can be difficult. Students also differed in their understanding of basic labor rights, including minimum wage, contracts, and paid weekly holiday allowance.

"Before starting work, I checked all the laws and regulations for my own safety," said Nazerke Zhanat, a junior from Kazakhstan.

Still, others experienced more difficulties. "Employers usually don't explain these things in detail," said Shahboz Murodov, a student from Uzbekistan, who said he learned mainly by asking other international students.

The Language of the Workplace

Nearly every student interviewed mentioned that the Korean proficiency as the single biggest factor in getting and keeping a job. "I don't think I would be hired without being able to converse in Korean," said Malina Mankiewicz, a Polish student who works as a waitress.

Zhanat said fluency alone is not always enough: "Even though you can speak Korean, the language they use in customer service differs. You have to use certain words and honorifics that are not usually used with your friends."

Local employers echoed this. "Communication is what matters most in the service sector," said restaurant owner Lee Gyu-hyoung, adding that "If international students can communicate sufficiently well, I have no other problems with hiring them."

Different Experiences, Different Barriers

Language was not the only barrier students raised.

"If you have darker skin or a beard, some places may be less willing to hire you. I have seen this happen, and many of my friends have experienced discrimination," said a Bangladeshi student, who preferred anonymity due to possible consequences at work. Zhanat said the bias could appear before a job even started. Despite having a good level of Korean, "some employers wouldn't even consider you because you're a foreigner," she said.

Other students said bias had not shaped their own experience the same way. Spedicato said she had not faced serious unfair treatment at her job, though she said, "Sometimes I felt I needed to prove myself more because I was a foreign student." Murodov said he had not personally experienced or witnessed unfair treatment at work and did not think being an international student had affected how he was treated there.

Their experiences show that bias is not felt in the same way by every international student. While some students described discrimination or feeling the need to prove themselves, others said it had not affected their work experience.

Employers Face Uncertainty

Employers also described their own concerns about hiring international students.

Gym owner Oh Doo-hwan, who has run his business in Yeongtong-gu for 10 years, said he has never hired an international student. His biggest concern, he said, was what happens if a student leaves Korea mid-contract: "There is nothing that can be done." He attributed this to what he understood as limits on the university's and police's ability to intervene.

Lee said the various visa regulations were technical barriers, and called for government offices to provide clearer information on the potential risks in order to protect both employers and international students.

Possible Solutions

Taken together, these accounts show a gap between the rules on paper and the reality international students face at work. The Hi-Korea permit system is meant to protect both students and employers, but interviewees said getting the permit is only the first step. After that, international students still have to navigate language barriers, workplace culture and, in some cases, employer bias on their own.

ISSS said the University is gradually expanding career support and that it would promptly communicate any regulatory changes from the Ministry of Justice. For now, however, its role remains focused on explaining the part-time work permit process and related immigration procedures, rather than helping students find jobs or recommending employers.

Interviewees said more support could make a difference. Zhanat suggested that KHU "Create more partnerships with companies that are willing to hire international students." Spedicato said the University provides basic information but could do more to explain labor rights, employment contracts and how to find jobs.

The MRTC study made a similar case at the policy level, recommending stronger selection criteria based on Korean proficiency and open work visas for verified talent. For now, however, these remain proposals, while international students continue to navigate the same challenges in Korea's part-time job market.

In the meantime, ISSS advises students to make sure a job is allowed under their visa, check that wages and working conditions are fair, and obtain the permit before starting work.

Beyond the Permit

For international students, finding a part-time job involves more than finding an employer. Some students report bias or uncertainty about their labor rights, while employers say they, too, struggle to understand the regulations. As KHU continues to welcome students from around the world, clearer guidance on contracts, wages, and labor rights, along with stronger ties to local employers, could help narrow the gap between the rules on paper and the realities to work safely and fairly.