Korea's Working Holiday Visa (H-1): Who Qualifies, What You Can Do, and What Comes Next

Korea's H-1 working holiday visa (관광취업) is available to citizens of approximately 30 countries. If your country is not on the list, no amount of planning will get you this visa. So the first question to answer is simple: does Korea have an agreement with your country?

If the answer is yes, the H-1 gives you up to 12 months in Korea, the right to work part-time to fund your stay, and a straightforward entry path with no employer sponsorship required. If your country is Canada, the deal has become significantly more generous since 2024. If you are from the US, the rules are narrower than you might expect.

Which countries qualify?

Korea has bilateral working holiday agreements with the countries and regions in the table below. Quotas and age caps are set per agreement and can change annually. Verify the current figures for your nationality at the official Working Holiday Info Center (워킹홀리데이인포센터) at whic.mofa.go.kr, or at your nearest Korean embassy or consulate.

Source: MOFA Working Holiday Info Center country table (as of 2026; verify at whic.mofa.go.kr).

A few accuracy notes on the table:

• Finland: Listed in MOFA tables with a "TBD" quota. Whether the Korea-Finland agreement is fully operational is not confirmed. Check at whic.mofa.go.kr or a Korean consulate before planning around it.
• Brazil: Appears in MOFA tables with a quota of 300. Confirm the program is currently active at the Korean consulate.
• Japan age limit: The standard is 18-25. The 18-30 range is available only in "special circumstances" defined by the competent authorities, not as a default. Do not treat 18-30 as the standard rule for Japan.
• US quota of 2,000: This figure appears in MOFA's WHIC table. Confirm the current quota at a Korean consulate in the US.

What is the H-1 visa?

The working holiday visa (관광취업 / 워킹홀리데이, visa code H-1) is a residence status created under bilateral agreements between Korea and partner countries. Its purpose is to let young people experience Korean culture and daily life through extended tourism. Work is explicitly secondary: you take paid employment to cover your travel expenses, not to pursue a career.

The program is administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (외교부) and the Korea Immigration Service (출입국외국인정책본부). The Overseas Koreans Agency (재외동포청) operates the official Working Holiday Info Center at whic.mofa.go.kr.

What H-1 is not

The H-1 is not a work visa. Language instruction, licensed professional work (medicine, law, engineering instruction), academic research, and adult entertainment are all prohibited. If you want to teach English, you need an E-2 visa. If you want full-time professional employment, you need an E-7 or equivalent work visa.

The H-1 is also not renewable for most nationalities. It is issued once per lifetime per country under most bilateral agreements.

The US WEST program: narrower than a standard working holiday

US citizens do not get the standard H-1 working holiday visa. Instead, the US has a separate arrangement called the WEST (Work and Study in English Program).

WEST has an additional eligibility requirement that no other nationality faces: you must be currently enrolled at a US post-secondary institution, or have graduated within the past year. Proof of student status or your degree is required. Travelers who are neither enrolled nor recent graduates do not qualify.

In other respects, the WEST H-1 is more generous than the standard:

• Duration: 18 months from entry (versus 12 months for most countries).
• Age: 18-30, same as the standard H-1.
• Quota: 2,000 per year (as listed in MOFA's WHIC table; confirm the current figure at a Korean consulate in the US).
• Visa fee: $45 USD.

Work restrictions are the same as for all H-1 holders. WEST does not create an exception to the language instruction prohibition or any other sector exclusion. The 25-hour-per-week cap applies.

Apply at a Korean consulate or KVAC (Korea Visa Application Center) in the US. Sources: MOFA US Embassy notice; MOFA Korea Consulate General New York.

Duration, entry type, and the one-per-lifetime rule

Standard terms

Most H-1 holders get 12 months from their first entry date, with multiple entry. The visa is not extendable, and it is issued once per lifetime for most nationalities.

Country-specific exceptions

If you are Canadian and want to plan around a second participation, confirm the current terms with the Korean Embassy in Canada before booking anything. Rules on second participations and extensions are bilateral details that change from year to year, so verify your nationality's terms at whic.mofa.go.kr.

What work is allowed and what is prohibited?

Allowed

H-1 holders may take paid employment in most general sectors: hospitality, food service, retail, agriculture, light manufacturing, and office work. You do not need a separate work permit. The H-1 itself authorizes incidental work without additional permission from immigration.

Prohibited

These sectors are off-limits under all H-1 agreements:

1. Language instruction. Working as a foreign language instructor in any professional capacity requires an E-2 visa or another relevant E-series visa. This is explicitly stated in MOFA guidance.
2. Licensed professions. Medicine, law, piloting, and other fields that require professional qualifications and have their own visa categories.
3. Adult entertainment. Receptionists, dancers, singers, musicians, and performers at entertainment establishments that may harm public morals.
4. Journalism, academic research, religion, and technical instruction in engineering fields. These require specific visa types.

Hours cap

25 hours per week is the maximum for most nationalities (as of 2026, per MOFA WHIC).

Exception for Canada: The 2024 Youth Mobility Arrangement removed the hours cap entirely. Canadian H-1 holders may work full-time up to 40 hours per week.

Employer limits

Some agreements cap how long you can stay with a single employer. If you have one of these nationalities, switching employers at the required interval is your responsibility:

Canada's 2024 upgrade: what changed

Korea and Canada replaced their 1995 working holiday MOU with a new Youth Mobility Arrangement in 2024. If you are Canadian, the program now looks very different from what older sources describe.

Key changes under the 2024 arrangement:

• Three streams: Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op/Internship.
• Age cap raised: 18-35 (previously 18-30).
• Quota tripled: 12,000 total across all three streams (previously 4,000).
• Duration extended: Up to 24 months per participation (previously 12 months).
• Two participations allowed: Working Holiday and Young Professionals participants can each participate twice.
• Full-time work allowed: No hours cap. Canadian H-1 holders may work up to 40 hours per week.
• Financial proof: The consulate specifies approximately CAD 3,400 (roughly equivalent to ₩3,000,000) at the time of the guide's publication; confirm the current requirement at the Korean Embassy in Canada.

Sources: MOFA Korea Embassy to Canada (seq=761709); Canada.ca announcement May 2023.

How H-1 compares to D-10 and E-series visas

If you are deciding between visa paths, this table shows the key differences.

Choose H-1 when you want to experience Korea flexibly without a job secured, your country has an agreement, and you fit the age window. Choose D-10 if you have graduated from a Korean university and are actively pursuing professional employment in Korea. See the D-10 Visa Guide for the full picture on that path.

What happens when your H-1 expires?

This is the highest-stakes part of the H-1, and the rules are not well documented in plain language. Read this section carefully before making plans.

Converting to E-7 (in-country vs. leaving Korea)

Whether you can change from H-1 to an E-7 work visa without leaving Korea depends on your nationality. The rule comes from each country's bilateral working holiday agreement, and Korea does not publish a single official table that lists which nationalities can switch in-country and which must apply from abroad. Some can; some cannot.

This is the highest-stakes decision in the whole H-1 timeline. If you assume you can change status inside Korea and you cannot, you can lose your status entirely. Do not rely on a forum post or a blog list. Confirm your specific case at your local immigration office (출입국·외국인청) or through HiKorea before you sign an employment contract or let your H-1 run down.

Converting to D-10 (job seeker)

If your H-1 runs out before you have found a job, you may want to move onto a D-10 job-seeker visa to keep looking. Whether you can do that from inside Korea, or whether you have to leave and re-enter first, depends on your situation. Confirm with HiKorea before your H-1 expires, and keep a backup plan in case an in-country change is not available to you.

Your realistic exit paths

1. Find an employer, convert to E-7. The most common route for H-1 holders who want to stay professionally. Your employer sponsors the E-7 application. Whether you do this in-country or abroad depends on your nationality (see above). See the E-7 Visa Guide for the E-7 process.
2. Leave Korea, apply for E-2 (English teaching). Requires a letter of employment from a school and a Korean consulate application abroad. Cannot be done from inside Korea on H-1 status because English teaching is prohibited on H-1.
3. Enroll in a Korean university on D-2. Change status in-country if you secure admission before your H-1 expires. See the D-2 Visa Guide.
4. Leave and re-apply for H-1 (if eligible for second participation). Available to Canadians and certain other nationalities under their bilateral terms; verify at your consulate.
5. Depart Korea. If you have not secured a job offer or admission, the cleanest option is to leave before your H-1 expires and avoid any overstay complications.

How to apply: process, documents, fees, and timeline

Where to apply

You must apply at a Korean embassy, consulate, or KVAC (Korea Visa Application Center) in your home country or country of legal residence, before entering Korea. There is no in-Korea application process for the H-1. You cannot apply for this visa after arriving.

Complete the application form at visa.go.kr (Korea Visa Portal), print it, and submit in person. Most consulates require personal appearance; postal applications are not accepted for H-1 at most locations.

Documents you need

This is the standard list. Your specific consulate may require additional documents. Confirm the full checklist with your nearest Korean embassy or consulate before applying.

Financial proof note: The ₩3,000,000 minimum is cited consistently in MOFA documents. Canada's consulate specifies approximately CAD 3,400. Some agreements may set a different local-currency minimum. Confirm the required amount and acceptable currency equivalent at your consulate.

Insurance note: Your insurance must cover the full duration of your stay, with a minimum of ₩40,000,000 in coverage.

Fees

Visa fee exemptions apply to Japanese, Hong Kong, and French nationals applying for H-1 (as of January 2026 per MOFA Singapore fee schedule). For other nationalities, fees vary by consulate. US applicants pay $45 USD per the MOFA US Embassy notice. Standard fees at KVAC locations run approximately USD 40-80 equivalent.

Processing time

Processing is approximately 3-4 weeks at most consulates. Canada's consulate cites 7-10 business days specifically. Some consulates advise applying 6-8 weeks before your intended departure date. These figures come from multiple sources including the Canada MOFA page; confirm current times at your specific consulate, as they vary by location and season. This is an estimate, not a guaranteed timeline.

ARC registration: the 90-day rule

If you stay in Korea for more than 90 days on your H-1, you must apply for an Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증, ARC) at a local immigration office within 90 days of entry. This is a requirement for all foreigners staying more than 90 days, regardless of visa type.

Do not wait until day 90. ARC processing takes roughly 2-3 weeks, and offices in major cities often have booking queues. Apply as early as you have a fixed Korean address.

The ARC fee is ₩35,000, raised from ₩30,000 on January 1, 2025 (verify the current fee at immigration.go.kr). Book your appointment at hikorea.go.kr. See the ARC Registration Guide for the full process, required documents, and what you can and cannot do while waiting for your card.

Recent changes: 2024-2026

The biggest recent change is Canada's. In 2024, Korea and Canada replaced their 1995 working holiday agreement with the Youth Mobility Arrangement: three streams, age 18-35, a 12,000 total quota, stays up to 24 months, two participations, and full-time work (per the MOFA Korea Embassy to Canada notice).

Several other countries, including the UK and Japan, have also adjusted their working holiday terms in recent years. Quotas, age caps, and re-participation rules change from year to year, so always confirm the current figures for your nationality at whic.mofa.go.kr rather than relying on an older guide.

Unconfirmed entries to watch:

• Finland appears in MOFA tables with a "TBD" quota. Whether the Korea-Finland agreement is fully operational is not confirmed. Check whic.mofa.go.kr.
• Brazil is listed in MOFA tables; confirm operational status with the Korean consulate.

Bottom line

The H-1 is one of the most accessible ways into Korea: no employer required, no points test, no job offer. What it trades for that simplicity is scope. You cannot teach, practise a licensed profession, or treat the visa as a backdoor to long-term employment. Most nationalities get one shot at 12 months.

If your country qualifies and you are in the right age range, apply well before your intended travel date. Processing takes 3-4 weeks at most consulates. Bring your insurance documentation covering ₩40,000,000 and a bank statement showing ₩3,000,000.

If you are Canadian, the 2024 upgrade makes this a meaningfully different visa: 24 months, full-time work, and two participations. Build your plan around those terms.

If you are American, start with the WEST program criteria. If you are a current student or recent graduate, you qualify. If you are neither, the H-1 is not available to you and you will need to look at D-10 or E-series options instead.

For job searching once you arrive, the best job sites in Korea guide is your practical next step.

FAQ

Which countries have a working holiday agreement with Korea?

Korea has agreements with approximately 30 countries and regions. The main ones are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Smaller agreements cover Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Latvia, Luxembourg, and possibly Finland. Verify your country's current status at whic.mofa.go.kr.

How long can I stay in Korea on a working holiday visa?

Most H-1 holders get 12 months from their first entry date. Exceptions: US WEST holders get 18 months; Canadian holders under the 2024 Youth Mobility Arrangement get up to 24 months per participation. The visa is multiple-entry and is not renewable for most nationalities.

Do I need to leave Korea to convert my H-1 to an E-7 work visa?

It depends on your nationality. Some nationalities can change status inside Korea; others must leave and apply at a Korean consulate abroad. Korea does not publish a single official table for this, so it is high-stakes guesswork if you assume. Confirm your specific situation at your local immigration office or HiKorea before you act on it.

Can H-1 holders work in Korea without a separate work permit?

Yes. The H-1 visa itself authorizes incidental work without a separate permit. You may work up to 25 hours per week in most sectors. Canadians under the 2024 arrangement may work full-time. Language instruction, licensed professions, and adult entertainment are prohibited regardless of nationality.

What financial proof do I need to apply?

You need a bank statement showing a minimum balance of ₩3,000,000, issued within one week of your application. You also need health insurance covering a minimum of ₩40,000,000 for the full duration of your stay. Canada's consulate specifies approximately CAD 3,400 as the bank balance minimum. Confirm local-currency requirements at your specific consulate.

What is the application fee for the H-1?

Fees vary by nationality. Japanese, Hong Kong, and French nationals are fee-exempt. US applicants pay $45 USD. Most other nationalities pay a fee equivalent to approximately USD 40-80, depending on the consulate. Confirm the current fee at your specific Korean embassy or consulate.

Can I bring my family to Korea on an H-1?

The H-1 does not include a dependent visa pathway. Your spouse or children cannot join you on an F-3 dependent visa based on your H-1 status. If staying with family is a priority, you may need to look at other visa types that carry dependent provisions.

@misc{seoulstart-working-holiday-visa-guide,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{Korea's Working Holiday Visa (H-1): Who Qualifies, What You Can Do, and What Comes Next}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/working-holiday-visa-guide},
  note = {Last updated June 9, 2026}
}