South Korea · Working holiday
South Korea Working Holiday (H-1)
Age limit and funds needed: Ages vary by passport · ₩3M ≈ $2,250
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Working Holiday (H-1) is a working holiday route for South Korea. Conditions: ages vary by passport · funds needed ₩3M ≈ $2,250. Local work: casual jobs. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $60
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
Government fees$60
- $60Visa 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.
Shown, not spent₩3M+ ≈ $2,250
- KRW 3,000,000 (≈ $2,250)Funds to support yourself for the initial period of the holiday.
RenewalRenewal rules
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.
Where to applyFrom abroad
You must be in your home country when you apply and when the visa is granted.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Can't be renewed
- Applications are made from outside South Korea, not after arriving
- Only for passports from 30 countries
- Only for ages 18–35
What you'll need
Who can apply6
- The applicant is aged 18 to 30 at application; the limit is 34 or 35 for some partners and 25 for Japan.
- No dependents accompany the applicant at any point during the stay.
- The primary purpose is a holiday.
- Certain professional jobs (doctor, language instructor, athlete, entertainer) are not allowed.
- The applicant has no criminal record.
- The applicant never previously entered Korea on a working holiday visa; Japan has expanded this to two participations.
What you must show2
- Funds of at least KRW 3,000,000 (≈ $2,250) support the applicant for the initial period of the holiday.
- Health insurance covers at least KRW 40,000,000 (≈ $30,000) for the whole stay.
Documents2
- A valid passport is required.
- A return ticket, or funds to buy one, is required.
Steps1
- The applicant applies and is granted the visa while inside the home country.
What happens at day 183
How South Korea decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 1 year in total
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a continuous residence in KoreaA person with no domicile who has a residence in Korea for 183 days or more is a resident
- Foreign-source income
Remittance basis (5 years)
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.
- Special regime
Remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence · Tax relief
All tax rules for South Korea Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Health insurance covers at least KRW 40,000,000 (≈ $30,000) for the whole stay
- Police certificate and civil documents
The applicant has no criminal record
- Money to show
This route asks for savings of ₩3M+ ≈ $2,250.
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
One-time working holiday visa for young citizens of 30 partner countries and regions, who may take temporary employment (up to 25 hours a week unless exempt) and private study during a stay of up to 12 months. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- Savings of at least KRW 3,000,000 (≈ $2,250) · Funds to support yourself for the initial period of the holiday. 1
- A fee of $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. 2
Requirements
- The applicant is aged 18 to 30 at application; the limit is 34 or 35 for some partners and 25 for Japan. 1 3
- No dependents accompany the applicant at any point during the stay. 1
- The primary purpose is a holiday. 1
- Certain professional jobs (doctor, language instructor, athlete, entertainer) are not allowed. 1
- The applicant has no criminal record. 1
- The applicant never previously entered Korea on a working holiday visa; Japan has expanded this to two participations. 1
- Funds of at least KRW 3,000,000 (≈ $2,250) support the applicant for the initial period of the holiday. 1
- Health insurance covers at least KRW 40,000,000 (≈ $30,000) for the whole stay. 1
- A valid passport is required. 1
- A return ticket, or funds to buy one, is required. 1
- The applicant applies and is granted the visa while inside the home country. 1
Stay
- Stay up to 12 months; Canadians up to 24 months; extensions for US nationals (up to 6 months) and UK nationals (up to 1 year).
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Not renewable according to our source.
Nationality
Citizens of the 30 partner countries and regions on the May 2026 list; employment and study limits differ by country. Open to: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czechia, Finland, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.
Work
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.
Family
No dependents may accompany the holder.
Official sources
- Korea Working Holiday Program guide (Working Holiday Info Center, Overseas Koreans Agency) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-05-01
- Visa application fees for each visa type · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11
- Working Holiday Info Center: age and quota by country · Working Holiday Info Center, Overseas Koreans Agency · checked 2026-10-11
Working Holiday (H-1) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working Holiday (H-1) | – | 1 yr | Casual jobs |
| Working Holiday Japan | – | 1 yr | Casual jobs |
| Working Holiday Indonesia | – | 1 yr, renewable | Casual jobs |
| Work Holiday · AU & NZ Singapore | – | 1 yr | Casual jobs |
| Working Holiday Taiwan | – | 6 mo | Casual jobs |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Working Holiday (H-1)?
Savings of at least KRW 3,000,000 (≈ $2,250). Funds to support yourself for the initial period of the holiday. A fee of $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.
How long can I stay on the Working Holiday (H-1)?
Stay up to 12 months; Canadians up to 24 months; extensions for US nationals (up to 6 months) and UK nationals (up to 1 year).
Can I work on the Working Holiday (H-1)?
Casual jobs. 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.
Can I bring my family on the Working Holiday (H-1)?
No dependents may accompany the holder.
Who can apply for the Working Holiday (H-1)?
Citizens of the 30 partner countries and regions on the May 2026 list; employment and study limits differ by country. Open to: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czechia, Finland, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.
Is there a tax break for Working Holiday (H-1) holders in South Korea?
Korea: remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence: 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. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Korea: remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence
Tax relief
Details
- On: Foreign-source income that is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea
- Who: Foreign national (not a Korean citizen) who is a Korean tax resident
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.
Taxed on
Foreign-source income that is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea; Korean-source income and all other income is taxed in full under the progressive income tax.
Who it applies to
- Foreign national (not a Korean citizen) who is a Korean tax resident.
- Sum of periods with a domicile or residence in Korea over the 10 years before the end of the taxable period is 5 years or less.
- Resident means having a domicile in Korea or a residence of 183 days or more.
Exclusions
- After more than five years of domicile or residence within the ten-year look-back, foreign-source income is taxed on a worldwide basis as for Korean residents.
- Income not paid or remitted into Korea stays outside the Korean base for qualifying foreigners.
Days in the country
- At least 183 days in continuous residence in Korea · A person with no domicile who has a residence in Korea for 183 days or more is a resident
Tax residence
The five-year test is counted over the ten years before the end of the relevant taxable period; non-residents are taxed only on Korean-source income (article 3(2)).
Visas
Applies by tax residence status and nationality, not by visa category.
Other taxes
Local income tax, VAT and social insurance apply separately; see “Optional flat tax rate for foreign employees” and “Korea progressive comprehensive income tax rates” for employment tax rates.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in South Korea
Similar visas elsewhere
Head to head
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Korea Working Holiday Program guide (Working Holiday Info Center, Overseas Koreans Agency) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa application fees for each visa type · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11
- Working Holiday Info Center: age and quota by country · Working Holiday Info Center, Overseas Koreans Agency · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.