About 7 in 10 international students in Korea who work part time are concentrated in low-skilled service positions such as restaurants and hospitality jobs, with only a marginal share employed in roles related to their field of study.
According to a study on the socioeconomic impact of the inflow of international students in Korea released by the Migration Research and Training Center on Monday, 71.1 percent of student workers were employed in the food and accommodation sector. The share climbed to 81.6 percent among undergraduates aged 19 to 24.
The results also showed regional disparities. The share of international students working in food and accommodation jobs exceeded 80 percent in areas including Gwangju, Incheon, Busan and South Chungcheong and Gyeonggi provinces.
This pattern appears to be driven by the factors that international students prioritize when choosing part-time work.
Only 2.4 percent said they consider alignment with their field of study or desired career path as a key factor. Instead, the most important consideration was working hours compatible with their studies, cited by 54.4 percent, followed by wages at 24.8 percent.
This suggests that such employment is not functioning as a stepping stone for building experience relevant to students’ future careers.
The study also found that 41.9 percent of international student workers were employed without formally reporting their jobs to authorities, relying instead on verbal agreements — underscoring the prevalence of informal, or “shadow,” labor practices.
A key driver of such informal employment is financial disincentives.
Under current rules, international students lose a 50 percent reduction in national health insurance premiums if their annual income exceeds 3.6 million won ($2,440). To avoid crossing that threshold, both employers and students often opt for off-the-books arrangements, including cash payments.
As a result, many students are reluctant to report labor violations, including unpaid wages and unfair treatment.
Source: Korea Times News
