Permanent Residency in South Korea
The routes to a long-term, renewable status
Korea has two long-term statuses that matter. F-2-7 is a points-based residence status awarded for age, education, income, Korean language and other factors, and it removes much of the employer dependence of an E status. F-5 is permanent residence, generally reached after roughly five years, with the conditions varying considerably by the status held beforehand.
| Points status | F-2-7, awarded on a published scoring table source |
| Common points threshold | Commonly around 80 of 120 points, with additional conditions |
| Permanent residence | F-5, generally after roughly five years of residence source |
| Language evidence | TOPIK level, or completion of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program |
| Renewal | F-5 is indefinite but the card is reissued periodically |
The F-2-7 points system
F-2-7 is the closest thing Korea has to a general skilled route. An applicant already holding a qualifying status is scored against a published table and, above a threshold, may change to a residence status that is not tied to one employer.
The factors are broadly age, educational attainment, Korean language ability measured by TOPIK or by completion of the government integration programme, annual income, and Korean work experience, with bonus points for study in Korea, volunteering, training and other listed items. Points are subtracted for tax arrears, immigration violations and criminal records.
The threshold and the weightings are revised, and income and language carry enough weight that a mid-career applicant with strong earnings and a solid TOPIK level frequently scores well above a younger applicant with neither.
Indicative shape of the points table
| Factor | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Age | Highest in the late twenties and thirties, declining thereafter |
| Education | Doctorate above master's above bachelor's; a Korean degree scores higher |
| Korean language | TOPIK level, or completion of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program |
| Annual income | Scored in bands against gross national income per capita |
| Korean work experience | Years of employment in Korea in a relevant field |
| Deductions | Tax arrears, immigration violations, criminal record |
Permanent residence, the F-5 status
F-5 generally requires roughly five years of continuous residence in Korea, together with evidence of income, of assets sufficient to live without public support, of Korean language or integration programme completion, and of a clean record.
The five years is not a single rule applied identically. The qualifying period and the conditions vary by the status held: spouses of Korean nationals and holders of F-2 statuses commonly qualify on shorter or lighter terms, holders of certain investment and high-skilled statuses have their own accelerated conditions, and time spent on statuses such as D-4 or short-term visas frequently does not count at all.
F-5 removes the employer link entirely, permits almost any economic activity, and does not need to be renewed as a status, although the residence card itself is reissued periodically. It is lost by prolonged absence from Korea without permission to re-enter.
What long-term status does not give
- The vote in national elections, although long-term foreign residents may vote in certain local elections after a qualifying period.
- A Korean passport, or the removal of any obligations under the applicant's original nationality.
- Immunity from status loss: both F-2 and F-5 can be revoked for serious criminal conduct or for extended unauthorised absence.
- Automatic status for family members, who apply on their own terms.
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Official sources
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