Justice Ministry updates Korean language requirements for D-10 job-seeker visa

The Ministry of Justice made a few changes to the D-10 job-seeker visa point system, requiring applicants to submit test scores within their validity period and adding more ways to prove Korean proficiency.

Visitors attending the Job Fair for International Students in July last year look at the list of hiring companies. [NEWS1]

The Ministry of Justice made a few changes to the D-10 job-seeker visa point system, requiring applicants to submit test scores within their validity period and adding more ways to prove Korean proficiency.

The set of changes took effect starting Monday.

One of the changes is that visa applicants who graduated from Korean universities must also submit Topik scores issued within the two-year validity period.

Before, applicants that graduated from a Korean university could get points for the visa with expired Topik scores. Those that graduated from a university outside Korea weren't allowed to do so, and had to submit their scores within the validity period.

Such a change was made because there were frequent cases of visa applicants forging Topik certificates that were past the validity period.

The D-10 is given based on a points system. Applicants need to have at least 60 points, out of a maximum of 190, to be eligible for the visa. Korean proficiency is one of the criteria, assessed through Topik scores or which level of the Korea Immigration & Integration Program (KIIP) an applicant has completed.

Those who graduated with an associate's degree or above from a Korean university within the past three years and has Topik level 4 or above automatically qualify for the visa and are exempt from the point system.

Topik scores and completing the KIIP used to be the only way applicants could get points for Korean proficiency in the point-based visa system, but the Justice Ministry will accept KIIP pre-test scores starting Monday.

The KIIP pre-test is a placement test that assesses which level of the KIIP course is most suitable for the test taker.

For instance, applicants who either completed KIIP level 4, have Topik level 4 or have 81 or above on the KIIP pre-test can get 15 points toward their D-10 visa application. KIIP level 3, Topik level 3 or KIIP pre-test scores of 61 or above grants 15 points, while KIIP level 2, Topik level 2 or KIIP pre-test scores of 41 or above grants 5 points.

KIIP pre-test scores aren't accepted for the highest point threshold, which is 20 points.

How points are deducted has also changed.

Points used to be deducted based on how many times the applicant violated domestic laws within the past five years, but points will now be deducted based on the actual fine applicants had to pay.

Violating immigration laws once used to take away five points, but applicants need to have paid a fine of more than 500,000 won ($370) and less than 1 million won to get a five-point deduction.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]