Jobs requiring professional qualifications, typically those associated with E-1 through E-7 working visas, are off limits for students.
This includes teaching minors, private tutoring, language instruction programs such as Kumon and other roles that require specialized credentials.
Work that normally requires an E-9 visa for nonprofessional employment is also barred, although students with TOPIK level four or above may qualify for limited exceptions.
Driving and sales-related work are not permitted. This includes delivery riders, substitute drivers, insurance agents, door-to-door sales and any form of remote work.
Roles considered contrary to public morals or social order are prohibited, including work in adult entertainment venues and casinos.
Dispatch, subcontracted or mediated employment is not allowed except for internships formally approved by the Justice Ministry as part of a university curriculum.
Students may participate in assistant or intern roles in professional environments if they hold the relevant qualifications required by Korean law, but they may not independently perform E-series work.
While teaching children is barred for those with student visas, working as a safety assistant or play assistant at an English kids' cafe or English camp is possible. In such cases, a certificate of criminal history record issued by one's government and a physical examination form for recruitment issued by a Korean government-designated medical institution, including drug test results.
