---
title: "Japan Working Holiday vs South Korea Working Holiday (H-1)"
url: https://settleanywhere.com/compare/japan-working-holiday-vs-south-korea-working-holiday-h1/
lang: en
updated: 2026-10-12
---

Head to head

# Japan Working Holiday vs South Korea Working Holiday (H-1)

Two working holiday routes side by side: money, stay, family, fees and tax, from the official sources. The official authority decides every application.

## Key differences

- **First stay** Both give a first stay of 1 yr.
- **Renewal** Japan Working Holiday: renewable, 2 years max. South Korea Working Holiday (H-1): renewal rules.
- **Work** Casual jobs on both.
- **Foreign-source income** Foreign-source income: remittance basis in Japan, remittance basis (5 years) in South Korea.

## Side by side

|   | Japan [Working Holiday](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/japan/working-holiday/) | South Korea [Working Holiday (H-1)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/working-holiday-h1/) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Country:** | *1* Working Holiday [Japan](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/japan/) | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) [South Korea](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/) |
| **Type:** | *1* Working Holiday Working holiday | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) Working holiday |
| **Money needed:** | *1* Working Holiday | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) **Needs savings of ₩3M+ ≈ $2,250** |
| **First stay:** | *1* Working Holiday **1 yr** | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) **1 yr** |
| **Renewal:** | *1* Working Holiday **Renewable, 2 years max** Details Each participation is one year; Canada and United Kingdom nationals can use two consecutive years, and some other nationalities can take a second one-year stay. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html) | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) **Renewal rules** Details The stay is up to 12 months. Extensions are available only to US citizens (up to 6 months) and UK citizens (up to 1 year); Canadians may stay up to 24 months. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea](https://whic.mofa.go.kr/upload/temp/kr_workingholiday_english.pdf) |
| **Work:** | *1* Working Holiday **Casual jobs** Details Allowed: employment incidental to the stay, to supplement travel funds. Not allowed: work at bars, cabarets, nightclubs and gambling premises. | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) **Casual jobs** Details Temporary employment up to 25 hours a week without a separate work permit (Canadians exempt from the limit); private-school study allowed; employment and academic limits differ for Israel, Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, Belgium and Denmark. |
| **Government fees:** | *1* Working Holiday | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) **$60** Details $60 Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more. |
| **Where to apply:** | *1* Working Holiday **From abroad** Details Apply for the working holiday visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate in your country, subject to the annual limit for your nationality. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html) | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) **From abroad** Details You must be in your home country when you apply and when the visa is granted. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea](https://whic.mofa.go.kr/upload/temp/kr_workingholiday_english.pdf) |
| **Employer needed:** | *1* Working Holiday **No** | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) **No** |
| **Tax residence test:** | *1* Working Holiday | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) **At least 183 days (continuous residence in Korea)** This route allows up to 1 yr in total. |
| **Foreign-source income:** | *1* Working Holiday **Remittance basis** Details Non-permanent residents are taxed in Japan on Japan-source income and on foreign-source income paid in or remitted to Japan; foreign-source income paid and kept abroad is outside the Japanese tax base. | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) **Remittance basis (5 years)** Details A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea. |
| **Tax note:** | *1* Working Holiday [Tax relief · Non-permanent resident foreign-source income treatment](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/japan/tax/) | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) [Tax relief · Remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/tax/) |
| **Official source:** | *1* Working Holiday [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html) | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea](https://whic.mofa.go.kr/contents.do?menuNo=90&contentsNo=38) |
| **Checked against official sources:** | *1* Working Holiday 12 Oct 2026 | *2* Working Holiday (H-1) First checked 11 Oct 2026 |

≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

**Official sources**

### Japan Working Holiday

1. [The Working Holiday Programmes in Japan (MOFA, 1 April 2026)](https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan · checked 2026-10-12
2. [Work and travel in Japan: International Experience Canada](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadians/international-experience-canada/work-travel-japan.html) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · checked 2026-10-12
3. [Working Holiday: partner countries and age limits (Korean)](https://whic.mofa.go.kr/whic/about/working.jsp) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea (Working Holiday Information Center) · checked 2026-10-11
4. [Working Holiday Visa: eligibility, funds and application (Embassy of Japan in Australia)](https://www.au.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/visa_workingholiday_en.html) · Embassy of Japan in Australia · checked 2026-10-12
5. [Working Holiday Scheme between Japan and Ireland: prerequisites and application (Embassy of Japan in Ireland)](https://www.ie.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/00_000070.html) · Embassy of Japan in Ireland · checked 2026-10-12
6. [Working Holiday visa guide for nationals of the Republic of Korea (Embassy of Japan in Korea, Korean)](https://www.kr.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ko/visa_working.html) · Embassy of Japan in Korea · checked 2026-10-12
7. [2026 Japan-Korea Working Holiday visa application notice (Embassy of Japan in Korea, Korean)](https://www.kr.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ko/working_holiday_2026.html) · Embassy of Japan in Korea · checked 2026-10-12

### South Korea Working Holiday (H-1)

1. [Korea Working Holiday Program guide (Working Holiday Info Center, Overseas Koreans Agency)](https://whic.mofa.go.kr/upload/temp/kr_workingholiday_english.pdf) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea · checked 2026-10-10
2. [Visa application fees for each visa type](https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-en/brd/m_4502/view.do?seq=715889&page=1) · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11
3. [Working Holiday Info Center: age and quota by country](https://whic.mofa.go.kr/contents.do?menuNo=90&contentsNo=38) · Working Holiday Info Center, Overseas Koreans Agency · checked 2026-10-11