Korea H-1 VisaWorking Holiday Visa

As of October 2026, about 30 countries and regions take part: in May 2026 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs counted 29 with a working holiday agreement or MOU with Korea (a count that includes Finland, whose agreement was signed that month and was not yet in force when last checked), and the United States takes part through the separate WEST program. Eligible countries and regions: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, United States (WEST program), Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong SAR, Sweden, Denmark, Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Israel, Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Chile, Poland, Spain, Argentina, Andorra, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Brazil. Latvia, Luxembourg and Brazil are on the Ministry's Working Holiday Info Center list but not yet in the issuance manual's quota table, so confirm H-1 availability with the Korean embassy first. New agreements are signed periodically — verify the current list at the Korean consulate website in your country.

Most legal employment is permitted on H-1 with two main restrictions: (1) you cannot work for the same employer for more than 6 consecutive months; (2) certain industries are restricted: the sex industry and illegal gambling are prohibited. You CANNOT do formal English-medium school teaching (that requires E-2). However, private one-on-one English tutoring (as a self-employed tutor) may be permissible in some circumstances — consult an immigration specialist. Common H-1 jobs: cafes, restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, farms, factories, and gig-economy work.

Yes. H-1 holders can enroll in Korean language courses, university language programs, and private academies (학원). Studying while working is entirely permitted. Many Working Holiday participants split their time between language study and part-time work. However, if you want to formally enroll in a university degree program, you would need to change to a D-2 or D-4 visa.

For most nationalities, no — the H-1 is a fixed-term, non-extendable visa. Exceptions: Canada (up to 2 years total) and UK (up to 2 years) under their bilateral agreements. USA (WEST program): 1 year and 6 months. Once the H-1 expires, you must either change your visa status (to D-4, E-7, D-2, F-6, etc.) before expiry, or depart Korea. Overstaying carries fines (₩1,000,000+ per month), a re-entry ban, and a permanent immigration record.

The standard upper age limit is 30 years old at the time of application. Key exceptions: United Kingdom and Canada — 35 years old; Taiwan, Portugal, Ireland, Argentina and Latvia — 34 years old (Luxembourg and Brazil are not in the issuance manual — confirm their age limit with the Korean embassy); United States (WEST program) — no age criterion at all under the current issuance manual, but you must instead be currently enrolled in higher education or have graduated within the past year. Australia and Japan are 30: their agreements say 18–25, extended to 30 by mutual consultation. The age is calculated at the date the visa application is submitted to the Korean consulate, not the date of travel to Korea.

Yes, and it matters a lot for popular countries. Quotas in the current issuance manual (the table prints no year): Australia, Germany, Sweden, Denmark — unlimited (Netherlands is NOT unlimited — it's capped at 200, a common mix-up). Canada — 12,000. Japan — 10,000. UK — 5,000. New Zealand — 3,000. France — 2,000. USA — 2,000. Ireland — 800. Spain — 1,000. Taiwan — 800. Hong Kong — 1,000. Italy — 500. Czech Republic — 300. Austria — 300. Hungary — 100. Israel — 200. Netherlands — 200. Portugal — 200. Belgium — 200. Poland — 200. Argentina — 200. Chile — 100. Andorra — 50. The newer partners Latvia, Luxembourg and Brazil are not in the manual's table yet. For capped countries, the quota can fill in hours after it opens. Set up alerts and apply on quota opening day if your country has a cap.

Plan 2–3 months ahead. Your options: (1) Depart Korea; (2) Change to D-4 language study visa — requires enrollment at a Korean language program and a financial statement; (3) Change to E-7 if you have secured a job offer from a Korean company in a qualifying occupation; (4) Change to D-2 if you have been admitted to a Korean university degree program; (5) Change to F-6 if you married a Korean national during your stay. Apply for the status change before your H-1 expires — do not wait until the last week.

Yes. If you work in Korea on H-1, you are subject to Korean income tax on your Korean-source income. For short-term workers (less than 183 days in a tax year), most bilateral tax treaties allow you to claim a tax exemption — check whether Korea has a tax treaty with your country. Employers are typically required to withhold tax; you can file for a refund if you overpaid. For stays of 183+ days in a calendar year, you are generally treated as a Korean tax resident.

Yes. Most major Korean banks (Kookmin, Shinhan, KEB Hana, Woori, NongHyup) allow H-1 visa holders to open an account. Requirements typically include: passport, ARC (required after 90 days), and an initial deposit. Some branches in major expat areas (Itaewon, Hongdae, Gangnam) have English-speaking staff. Having a Korean bank account makes receiving wages, paying rent, and using Korean payment apps (Kakao Pay, Naver Pay) much easier.

Overstaying is a serious violation. Penalties include: daily fines accumulating from the date of overstay (₩1,000,000 per month, capped at ₩5,000,000), mandatory departure when discovered, and potentially a multi-year re-entry ban depending on the length of overstay. An overstay record is permanently attached to your immigration history and can make future Korean visa applications significantly more difficult or impossible. Never overstay — if your plans change and you want to stay longer, change your visa status before expiry.

Yes — previous visits to Korea do not affect your H-1 eligibility. What generally disqualifies you is a previous participation in Korea's Working Holiday program (the issuance manual makes an exception for nationals of Ireland, Sweden and the USA). Prior tourist visits, student exchanges, or short business trips are entirely fine.

No, not for most nationalities — Korea charges the H-1 visa fee reciprocally by default (matching whatever your country charges Korean applicants). The issuance manual names Japan, France, Chile, Hong Kong, and Spain as fee-exempt, but dates that list as of 2018; nationals of other countries should expect a fee wherever their country charges Korean applicants. Check the fee schedule at your specific Korean consulate. Separately, you will pay for your ARC registration (₩35,000) after arriving in Korea if you stay longer than 90 days.