How do I come to Korea on a Working Holiday Visa (H-1)?
I want to come to Korea on a Working Holiday Visa (H-1). What are the requirements, how do I apply, and what can I actually do once I'm there? Is it hard to get approved?
Note: This is an editorial persona question created from common experiences of foreign residents in Korea.
1 Answer
The Working Holiday visa (H-1) lets young people from partner countries live in Korea for up to a year and combine travel with work, and it is one of the easier long-stay routes if you qualify. Eligibility depends on your nationality, since Korea only offers it to countries with a working holiday agreement (many European countries, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, and others). The core requirements are generally being between 18 and 30 (some countries cap at 25), holding citizenship of a partner country, applying from outside Korea for your first time, having enough funds to support yourself at the start (often a few thousand US dollars shown by a bank statement), and sometimes a return ticket, plus a travel plan and a clean background. Some countries have an annual quota, so popular ones can fill up.
You apply at a Korean embassy or consulate in your home country, not online, submitting the form, passport, photo, bank statement, travel plan, and any country-specific documents, with processing usually taking a couple of weeks. After you arrive you register for your ARC within 90 days, then you can travel freely and take most kinds of work to fund your stay, though a few sectors requiring professional licenses or adult entertainment are off limits. Approval is generally not hard if you meet the age, funds, and nationality rules and apply completely; the common issues are missing the age window, insufficient funds, or quota timing. Check your own country's specific rules on the Korean embassy site, since the age range, quota, and documents vary by nationality.