A Working Holiday Visa in South Korea offers the chance to discover a rich and centuries-old culture that blends tradition and modernity, all while perfecting your Korean language skills. Immerse yourself in daily Korean life, explore bustling markets, savor a deliciously diverse cuisine, and experience the vibrant energy of modern neighborhoods with our South Korea Working Holiday Visa programs and Korean language courses at language schools.
For those seeking a rewarding professional experience, the Working Holiday Visa in South Korea opens the door to seasonal jobs while allowing you to authentically experience local life. Given the very different culture, language, and population, finding paid work in this beautiful country and completing the necessary paperwork can be a real challenge. Our job assistance service will make your project in Korea much easier (and Korean language courses are optional) in Daegu and/or our Korean language courses in Seoul .
Be between 18 and 30 years old (inclusive) at the time of visa application
Be in your country at the time of the visa application
Have a passport that is valid for at least one year
The primary intention of going to Korea should be tourism; work should be a secondary reason
Mandatory medical insurance for the entire duration of the stay
Have sufficient funds to cover your needs during the initial period of your stay (minimum 2,200 euros)
Have a return ticket or proof of sufficient funds to purchase one
Not having already entered Korea on a working holiday visa
Not having a criminal record
Not being accompanied by dependent people
Access our complete guide to applying for your South Korea Working Holiday Visa
To apply for your visa, you must provide:
The visa application form
Your valid passport and a passport photo (3.5 x 4.5 cm)
A return plane ticket or proof of your financial ability to purchase one
Supporting financial documents (for example, a certified copy of the bank statement)
Health insurance that will remain valid throughout your stay in Korea (minimum coverage: 30,000 euros)
Your travel plans
Registration fees
Criminal record check
A medical certificate
Proof of student status or highest university degree
Cost of the Working Holiday Visa : approximately €81
Knowing Korean is certainly a great advantage, but not mandatory! You can opt for Korean language classes upon arrival through job assistance, which will allow you to reach a basic conversational level; if you want to improve your level, opt for intensive courses at a language school Seoul guaranteed job through job assistance, this can be arranged within the first month of your arrival. As soon as you receive your Alien Registration Card (which takes approximately three weeks to obtain locally; the process is handled in groups through job assistance), you can begin working.
If you would like assistance from our services, particularly regarding job placement, upon arrival, your arrival city must be Seoul, but you will have a direct transfer arranged to Daegu , where you will spend your first month. If you only wish to take language courses at the beginning of your stay, Seoul is also an option.
In South Korea, the laws are slightly different from those in other destinations. The primary purpose of your stay should always be tourism, while work is a secondary purpose. Furthermore, the types of work you can undertake are limited . Generally, you are prohibited from working in any field that requires a university degree. For example, you cannot teach your native language, practice medicine, engineering, etc. It is also not possible to work as a dancer, athlete, singer, or in any similar profession.
Here are some possible jobs during your working holiday visa stay in South Korea : guaranteed job in the hotel industry thanks to our local partner, editor in your native language, voice actor, au pair, babysitting, etc.
In Daegu (the city of your arrival) and the surrounding area, several large companies such as Samsung and Coupang hire staff with little or no knowledge of Korean for simple tasks such as packing products for shipping, loading and unloading goods, or labeling products.
In rural areas outside of Daegu, various jobs can be arranged with companies that receive government funding to stimulate the rural economy.
Thanks to our on-site job assistance, you are helped to find a suitable job and receive personalized advice for a successful application.
Read also our article dedicated to South Korea, a rapidly growing tourist and economic destination to discover on a Working Holiday Visa .
To find out which countries are eligible for the working holiday visa in Korea, click here .
As a Belgian citizen, you can work and/or study for a maximum of 6 months with your South Korea Working Holiday Visa.
You can work a maximum of 25 hours per week , and a maximum of 1300 hours per year (this applies to all nationalities with a Working Holiday Visa agreement in South Korea).
Getting around Korea is extremely easy thanks to the peninsula's highly connected transportation network. Whether by train, bus, plane, or ferry between cities, or by subway within cities, you have plenty of options. For example, Daegu is 1 hour and 45 minutes from Seoul and 50 minutes from Busan by train. As for accommodation, several options are available, such as hostels, shared apartments, studios, and residences. Finding accommodation is particularly difficult during February and August due to the start of the academic year.
According to the website livingcost , the average cost of living in Seoul is 1,376 euros per month, which is among the 34% most expensive cities in the world, while the cost of living in Daegu is 19% cheaper.
Salary
For the jobs mentioned above, you generally receive the legal minimum wage, which is 9,620 KRW (€6.02) per hour throughout the country, but the cost of living is generally lower than in our country if you share accommodation and buy smart.
Buying a vehicle, accommodation, jobs… Discover on the following link our guide dedicated to the pitfalls to avoid during your Working Holiday Visa stay.
Cities marked with an asterisk (*) are eligible for Job Assistance
Cities marked with an asterisk (*) are eligible for Job Assistance
Cities marked with an asterisk (*) are eligible for Job Assistance
