Visa Comparison — South Korea
H-1 vs H-2 Visa — Working Holiday vs Working Visit: Which One Can You Get?
Both H-1 and H-2 let you live and work in Korea without a professional job offer — but they are completely different programs for completely different people. H-1 is for young adults from treaty countries who want to experience Korea while funding their trip. H-2 is exclusively for ethnic Koreans from China and the CIS region who want to return to work in Korea long-term.
H-1 vs H-2 — side-by-side comparison
Who can apply
H-1
Citizens of countries with a Working Holiday treaty with Korea (e.g. USA, Australia, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, and others — 25+ countries)
H-2
Ethnic Koreans (조선족/고려인) from China and 14 CIS/other countries ONLY — not open to other nationalities
Age requirement
H-1
18–30 (18–35 for some countries like Canada, Australia, Germany)
H-2
18 and above — no upper age limit
Primary purpose
H-1
Experience Korean culture and travel, funded by temporary work — work is a means, not the goal
H-2
Work in Korea in permitted manual/service sectors
Authorised stay
H-1
Up to 1 year (extendable to 2 years for some nationalities — AU, CA, DE, DK, FR, IE, JP, NZ, UK)
H-2
Up to 3 years per grant; total H-2 accumulated stay up to 5 years
Work rights
H-1
Any legal employment — but work should not dominate the visit (no employer restriction in practice)
H-2
Permitted manual and service sector occupations (manufacturing, construction, agriculture, fishery, food service, cleaning, caregiving). White-collar professional work is not permitted.
Language requirement
H-1
None for the visa itself
H-2
Must pass the overseas Korean Korean Proficiency Test (한국어시험) or the domestic EPS-TOPIK system to enter the H-2 pool
Employer restriction
H-1
None — can change jobs freely, no notification required
H-2
Can change employers within permitted occupations without prior approval — notification to immigration within 15 days
Repetition
H-1
Typically once per lifetime per treaty (some countries allow repeated use — check your specific treaty)
H-2
Can be renewed multiple times up to the 5-year total accumulation limit
Path to long-term residency
H-1
H-1 experience and Korean acquired can support E-7 application. F-2-7 possible if K-Points qualify.
H-2
H-2 experience counts toward E-7-4 upgrade (4+ years) or F-2-99 long-term residency. F-4 (Overseas Korean) is a parallel option for eligible ethnic Koreans.
Which should you choose?
H-1is right for you if…
You are 18–30 (or 18–35 for select countries) and your nationality has a working holiday treaty with Korea
You want maximum job flexibility — able to work in any sector without restrictions
You want to experience Korea for up to 2 years with no professional job offer required
You are not of Korean ethnic heritage
H-2is right for you if…
You are an ethnic Korean (조선족 or 고려인) from China or one of the 14 eligible CIS/other countries
You want a longer authorized stay (up to 5 years total)
You want to build experience toward E-7-4 skilled worker status or F-4 overseas Korean status
You are 30+ and no longer eligible for H-1
Typical path:
H-1 holders who develop Korean language skills and work experience often convert to E-7 (skilled worker) at the end of their working holiday. H-2 holders who accumulate 4+ years of Korean work experience and meet the E-7-4 points requirement can upgrade to skilled worker status — the most common long-term path for ethnic Korean manual workers.
Frequently asked questions
Can Americans get a Working Holiday visa for Korea?
Yes. The US-Korea Working Holiday treaty allows Americans aged 18–30 to apply for an H-1 visa. The US has one of the larger annual quotas among H-1 partner countries. Apply at the Korean consulate — the visa is typically issued within 1–2 weeks.
Can I get H-2 if I am of Korean descent but a US citizen?
Not H-2. H-2 is specifically for ethnic Koreans from China and 14 designated countries (former Soviet republics and a few others). US citizens of Korean descent typically qualify for F-4 (Overseas Korean) instead, which offers broader rights than H-2.
Can H-1 be extended beyond 1 year?
For most countries, H-1 is a once-per-lifetime single-year visa. However, nationals of Australia, Canada, Germany, Denmark, France, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, and the UK can extend to a second year. Check your specific bilateral treaty terms.
What happens when H-2 expires?
When your cumulative H-2 stay reaches 5 years, you must leave Korea and wait 1 year before re-entering on H-2. Alternatively, if you have accumulated 4+ years of E-9/H-2 work experience, you may be eligible to apply for E-7-4 (skilled worker) status before leaving.
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