Working in Korea After Graduation (Singapore Students) 2026: Official Starting Points, Visa Checks, and What to Plan Early
TL;DR
A Singapore-friendly, source-first guide to planning for work in Korea after graduation: the official pages to start with, what to verify (not assume), and a practical plan you can follow alongside your degree or language route.
21 Jan 2026, 00:00 Z
Reviewed by
Marcus Pang·Managing Director (Maths)
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> **Q:** If I study in Korea, can I work there after graduation?
> \
> **A:** Some international students aim to do that — but the best way to plan is to start from official pages, then verify your specific status/route instead of relying on “friend-of-a-friend” advice. This guide gives you the official starting points and a simple plan you can follow from Year 1.
> **TL;DR (fast plan)**
> - Start here (official): https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/main.do
> - Read “Employment in Korea” (official overview): https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/aboutKoreaEmployment.do
> - When visa-category questions come up, use the Visa Navigator: https://www.visa.go.kr/openPage.do?MENU_ID=10101
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*Status:* Last reviewed 2026-01-21. This is a planning guide, not legal or immigration advice. Always verify current requirements using official pages and your university’s international office.
If you’re still deciding Japan vs Korea, start here:
* https://eclatinstitute.sg/blog/Study-Abroad-Japan-vs-South-Korea-Checklist
---
## 1) Start with the official “Work in Korea” hub
Use this as your baseline:
* https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/main.do
The goal is simple: know where official information is published so you can sanity-check everything else.
Two pages are especially useful for orientation:
* Employment in Korea: https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/aboutKoreaEmployment.do
* Employment system for foreigners: https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/aboutForeignerEmploymentSystem.do
For job listings and official job resources:
* https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/workInfo.do
---
## 2) The planning mistake to avoid (Singapore parents and students)
The most common mistake is to plan backwards from a fantasy:
> “I’ll just study first, then I’ll figure out the work part later.”
That’s risky because:
* your language plan affects your options,
* internships and “industry experience” often have timelines,
* and your visa/status questions don’t magically disappear in your final semester.
This is why we keep repeating “source-first” — it protects you from bad assumptions.
---
## 3) A practical “default plan” you can adapt
### Year 0 (before you start)
* Choose your route: degree route vs language-first route.
* If you’re considering the language institute route, start with the official school-type overview:
- https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/plan/schoolType.do
* Save these pages (bookmark them now, not later):
- https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/main.do
- https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/aboutKoreaEmployment.do
### Year 1 (stabilise + start building proof)
* Keep attendance/grades stable.
* Build “evidence” (projects, lab work, club leadership, volunteer work).
* Decide whether you’ll aim for internships; if yes, read this:
- https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/aboutIndustryExperience.do
If you plan to work part-time while studying, keep it compliant and verified:
* https://eclatinstitute.sg/blog/scholarships/Part-Time-Work-as-a-Student-Japan-vs-Korea-Source-Linked-Checklist-Singapore-2026
### Year 2+ (internships + career story)
Your job search becomes much easier when you can answer these clearly:
* “What can you do?” (skills + evidence)
* “Why this field?” (a real reason, not a slogan)
* “Why Korea?” (your plan should connect to what you want to do after graduation)
Use the official job information page as one starting point:
* https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/workInfo.do
---
## 4) Visa checks: use the Visa Navigator (don’t guess)
When you see advice online like:
* “You can definitely do X”
* “You can switch to Y easily”
…treat it as a prompt to verify, not as a fact.
Use the Korea Visa Portal’s Visa Navigator:
* https://www.visa.go.kr/openPage.do?MENU_ID=10101
Practical tip:
* Screenshot the results page for your route and keep it in your planning folder.
---
## 5) Next action (today)
Pick one:
* Read the Work in Korea hub and write down 3 questions you still need to clarify:
- https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr/en/work/main.do
* If you’re deciding between degree vs language-first:
- https://eclatinstitute.sg/blog/scholarships/Japan-vs-Korea-Decision-Tree-4-Routes-Degree-vs-Language-First-Guide-2026
* If you need a Singapore-friendly timeline planner first:
- https://eclatinstitute.sg/blog/scholarships/Japan-Korea-Study-Abroad-Timeline-Singapore-IP-JC-NS-Planning-Guide-2026
