How Many International Students Stay in Korea After Graduation?
The number of international students studying in Korea has surpassed 320,000. But where do they go after graduation? How many stay and settle in Korea?
The Ministry of Justice recently released data on the residence and settlement of international students who graduated from Korean universities. Based on this data, TalentLink analyzed where and under what status they remain after graduation. Here are the results.
🎯 The Reality of International Student Settlement in Data: 4 Key Points
① 70% of Graduates Eventually Leave Korea
As of March 2026, 70.3% of approximately 152,000 graduates had fully departed Korea. This means they canceled their foreign resident registration and returned to their home countries. Among those who remained in Korea, 14.2% switched to work visas (E-1–7), 5.7% to residence status (F-2), and only 1.0% to permanent residence (F-5). Graduates preparing for employment under job-seeking status (D-10) accounted for 5.3%. The number remaining drops sharply as the path advances from employment to residence and from residence to permanent residence.
② The Higher the Degree, the More Graduates Leave (Doctorate 81% vs. Associate Degree 26%)
Among doctoral graduates, 81.3% departed Korea, a higher share than bachelor’s (71.8%) and master’s graduates (71.3%). In contrast, associate degree graduates had the lowest departure rate at 26.4% and the highest rate of switching to employment, residence, or permanent residence status at 55.1%. The share preparing for employment under job-seeking status (D-10) was also 14.2%, well above other degree levels (4–7%).
Highest Degree | Full Departure | Work Visa (E-1–7) | Residence (F-2) | Permanent Residence (F-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Associate Degree | 26.4% | 43.0% | 11.9% | 0.2% |
Bachelor’s | 71.8% | 15.7% | 3.5% | 0.4% |
Master’s | 71.3% | 12.3% | 7.8% | 1.0% |
Doctorate | 81.3% | 3.5% | 3.4% | 2.7% |
This means that highly skilled people whose education required the greatest investment of time and money in Korea are leaving, while practice-oriented talent remains. By field of study, master’s graduates in arts and sports and natural sciences had the highest departure rates (79% each), while doctoral graduates in arts and sports (97%) and education (92%) had the highest rates. Among doctoral graduates, comparatively more people in engineering (66%), natural sciences (70%), and medicine and pharmacy (71%) remained.
③ The Type of Work Visa Determines Settlement
Obtaining a work visa is not the end. True settlement requires a later transition to residence (F-2) or permanent residence (F-5), and domestic settlement rates vary significantly by work visa type. Among graduates employed by regular companies under the Specially Designated Activities visa (E-7), 32% settled and only 11% fully departed. In contrast, graduates employed by universities or research institutes under the Research visa (E-3) had a settlement rate of only 20%, while half (50%) left Korea.
Employment Status | Employed Persons | Domestic Settlement Rate | Full Departure Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
Specially Designated Activities (E-7) | 11,458 people | 32% | 11% |
Professor (E-1) | 596 people | 27% | 29% |
Research (E-3) | 4,297 people | 20% | 50% |
Foreign Language Instructor (E-2) | 1,178 people | 8% | 36% |
Employment at a regular company (E-7) is far more likely to lead to long-term settlement than employment at a university or research institute. This also suggests why doctoral graduates leave at the highest rate: they are mainly employed through the Research (E-3) pathway.
④ More Than Half of Employed International Students Stay Where Their University Is Located
There is encouraging data as well. Of approximately 22,000 employed graduates, 54% graduated from universities in the Seoul metropolitan area, and 90% of them found jobs there. The same pattern appears elsewhere: 71% in Jeju, 68% in Gyeongnam, 65% in Gyeongbuk (Daegu), 62% in Jeonbuk, and 61% in Jeonnam (Gwangju) found jobs in the region where their university was located. Except for Gangwon (48%), more than half remained in the same region everywhere. The data therefore confirms that where students study is closely linked to where they settle.
⚠️ Note
The figures in this article are based on the “Residence and Settlement Status of International Students” published by the Korea Immigration Service of the Ministry of Justice in September 2026. They summarize the residence status as of March 2026 of international students who graduated between 2019 and 2025.