The H-1 route is useful for UK citizens who want a working-holiday stay in Korea rather than a long-term employer-sponsored work visa.
Written by James Chae — Co-Founder, Expert Sapiens
Platform expertise: Immigration consulting & visa services · Reviewed April 2026
Reviewed against
James Chae, 행정사 (Korean Licensed Administrative Attorney). License No. 220-06-06463 · 대한행정사회 (Korean Administrative Agents Association). Reviewed against the HiKorea 사증·체류업무 자격별 안내 매뉴얼 and cross-checked with Ministry of Justice issuances.
Last reviewed
April 22, 2026
Source references
Nationality-table sections covering UK visa-exempt entry treatment, K-ETA suspension handling, and country-specific routing notes.
Visa-type issuance sections supporting the main UK-facing routes, especially H-1, E-7, D-2, and F-6 pathways.
Filing caution
Requirements can change by nationality, local immigration office, and filing channel. Confirm exact requirements with HiKorea, the responsible Korean consulate, or a licensed immigration specialist before filing.
Official manual cautions
These cautions come from the site's Korean immigration manual references and source-attribution notes. Treat them as filing-control checks before relying on any general checklist.
These are the official-source areas most relevant to this nationality and visa combination.
Source basis
Korea Immigration Service (출입국·외국인정책본부)
HiKorea — Korean visa & residency manual
Entry baseline
No K-ETA required (suspended until 31 Dec 2026)
Stay period
1 year (most countries); 2 years (Canada, UK); 1 year 6 months (USA)
Processing
1–3 weeks
Government fee
Free for most countries (reciprocal arrangement); check with Korean consulate in your country
Route fit
UK citizens considering Korea's working holiday route.
Citizens of countries with a Working Holiday agreement with Korea, aged 18–30 (some agreements extend to 35). Eligible countries include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, and around 25 others.
Why it appears in the United Kingdom guide
UK citizens aged 18–35 (not the standard 18–30) can apply for Korea's Working Holiday visa for up to 2 years — one of the most generous arrangements for any nationality.
Documents
Prepare proof of age, passport validity, funds, travel plan, insurance, and the consulate-specific application forms.
Check current UK quota, age, and maximum-stay rules before planning housing or work commitments.
Keep the working-holiday purpose clear; this route is not a substitute for a fixed full-time professional job sponsorship.
Review any work restrictions before accepting hospitality, teaching, entertainment, or long-term office roles.
Core H-1 checklist preview
Document authentication
Use this as a preparation map before filing. Authentication, apostille, consular confirmation, translation, and original-document rules can change by document type, consulate, and receiving Korean office.
UK-issued public records should be checked against the current competent-authority or consular requirements for the specific Korean consulate handling the case.
English records are easier to review, but Korean translation may still be requested for supporting explanations or non-standard documents.
Keep passport, funds, insurance, itinerary, and application-form names consistent, including middle names and hyphenated names.
Check quota and consular intake timing before booking flights or housing for a working-holiday plan.
H-1 document note
For H-1, funds, insurance, itinerary, age/nationality proof, and consulate-specific forms should support a temporary working-holiday purpose.
Primary source checks before relying on this page
Risk review
Visa-manual risk themes for H-1
Job duties do not match the visa activity
Korean work visas are activity-specific. A broad title or informal role description is weaker than a contract and duties that match the status precisely.
Sponsor-side records are incomplete
Business registration, tax, employment, wage, or compliance problems at the sponsor can affect the applicant's review.
Prior violations or unresolved compliance issues
Prior overstays, fines, unauthorized work, tax delinquency, or criminal history can trigger closer review even when the basic visa category looks correct.
Use these checks before committing to documents, appointments, or employer/school timelines. If a nearby route fits better, open the comparison before filing.
Start with the current page, compare adjacent routes, then use the checklist only after the route is stable.
Timeline
Check quota and consulate intake timing before booking flights.
Prepare funds and insurance evidence before making non-refundable plans.
If the goal is a career role in Korea, compare H-1 against E-7 before filing.
Filing readiness audit
Work through this before you rely on the checklist alone. A complete document list does not help if the route, timing, or sponsor facts are wrong.
Ready after the audit?
Move to the full checklist only after the route, documents, risks, and timeline all look consistent.
Common filing mistakes
H-1 is a working-holiday route. If the main purpose is a long-term role with a Korean employer, compare E-7 or another sponsored status.
Quota, appointment availability, and local consulate instructions can affect timing even when basic eligibility looks clear.
The travel plan, funds, insurance, and work plan should support a temporary working-holiday purpose.
Some jobs may be outside the allowed H-1 scope. Confirm the specific work type before signing a contract.
A later status change depends on the employer, occupation, timing, and immigration review. It is not automatic.
Compare this route
H-1 is working holiday. H-2 is an overseas-Korean working-visit route with a different eligibility basis and work framework.
Compare H-1 and H-2If a Korean employer is central to the plan, a sponsored work visa may be more appropriate than working holiday.
Review E-7 skilled workWorking holiday and digital nomad status solve different problems: local temporary work vs overseas remote work.
Review digital nomad guideFAQ
H-1 is a working-holiday route, not a standard employer-sponsored job visa. If the main purpose is a fixed career role, compare E-7 or another work status before filing.
Check current quota, age rules, stay limit, insurance, funds, itinerary, consulate instructions, and whether the planned work type is allowed under working-holiday rules.
Sometimes, but it depends on the target visa, employer sponsorship, timing, and status-change rules. Do not assume H-1 automatically converts to E-7 or another long-term status.
No. H-1 is for a longer working-holiday stay. Visa-free or K-ETA entry is usually for short stays and does not authorize the same work plan.
Recommended next reads
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