South Korea eases work visa rules to boost opportunities for skilled Thai youth
The Korean Embassy in Bangkok announced relaxed visa requirements for Thai graduates in Korean studies, extending work permits to three years and reducing financial proof conditions.
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Thailand has announced relaxed visa criteria for Thai nationals applying for job-seeking (D-10) and employment (E-7) visas, as part of efforts to enhance human resource exchanges between Thailand and South Korea. The new measures aim to create more opportunities for skilled Thai youth — particularly those proficient in the Korean language — to live and work in South Korea.
Under the revised guidelines, young Thais with strong Korean language skills will benefit from reduced financial proof requirements, simplified assessment criteria, and an extended stay period from one year to up to three years.
Applicants under 29 years old who hold a bachelor’s degree in Korean language or Korean studies and have achieved TOPIK Level 6 will now be exempt from submitting financial proof and minimum point-score requirements (60 points) when applying for the D-10-1 job-seeking visa in Korea. Their maximum stay period will also increase from one year to three years.
This relaxation follows the approval by South Korea’s Ministry of Justice of a proposal from the Korean Embassy in Bangkok to support Thai students studying Korean language or Korean studies. Currently, 28 Thai universities offer related programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
The E-7 employment visa has also been eased. Previously, applicants had to meet strict criteria regarding work experience, educational background, and job relevance. From this month onwards, Thai applicants with Korean language proficiency will be exempt from the field-of-study and work-experience checks.
In addition, Thai graduates under 29 years old with degrees in science or engineering from QS-ranked Thai universities (Top 1,000 globally over the past three years) who have achieved TOPIK Level 2 will receive bonus points in visa evaluation and may also stay for up to three years.
Recognised Thai Universities (as of 2026 QS Rankings):
- Chulalongkorn University
- Mahidol University
- Chiang Mai University
- Thammasat University
- Kasetsart University
- Khon Kaen University
- Prince of Songkla University
- King Mongkut’s University of Technology (Chonburi)
Ambassador Park Yong-min said the new measures resulted from the embassy’s continued efforts to persuade the Korean government to ease visa criteria for Thai students in Korean-related fields.
“We hope these measures will provide more career opportunities for Thai graduates and strengthen workforce exchanges between our two countries. This will also enhance bilateral cooperation and investment in the future,” he said.
Further details are available on the official website and Facebook page of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Thailand.
