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🇸🇬 Singapore /Technology

South Korea officially launches digital nomad visa with eased eligibility rules

From The Straits Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • South Korea has officially launched its "workation" visa (F-1-D) on June 30, allowing remote workers employed by overseas companies to live and work in Korea.
  • Eligibility requirements have been relaxed compared to the pilot program, with lower income thresholds for certain applicants, particularly those residing outside the Seoul metropolitan area.
  • The visa aims to attract global creative talent, offering a stay of up to three years and encouraging skilled individuals to potentially settle in Korea.

South Korea has officially introduced its digital nomad visa, dubbed the "workation" visa (F-1-D), on June 30, offering a more accessible pathway for foreign remote workers to reside in the country. This visa allows individuals employed by companies outside of South Korea to live and work remotely within the nation, distinguishing it from traditional work visas that necessitate employment with a Korean entity.

The updated regulations aim to enhance the visa's appeal following a pilot program that ran from January 2024 to May 2026. Previously, applicants generally needed to earn at least twice South Korea's per capita gross national income (GNI). However, the revised rules introduce lower income thresholds, taking into account factors such as the applicant's age and their intended place of residence. For instance, individuals aged 18 to 34 who plan to live outside the Greater Seoul area (Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province) are now eligible if they earn at least the previous year's GNI per capita, rather than double that amount. In 2025, South Korea's GNI per capita was reported at US$36,963.

The digital nomad visa is intended to expand opportunities for creative talent from around the world to experience South Korea.

— Jung Sung-hoJustice Minister, explaining the purpose of the digital nomad visa.

Beyond relaxed income requirements, the maximum period of stay has been extended from two to three years. Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho expressed the government's intention to leverage the visa to attract diverse creative talent from across the globe. "The digital nomad visa is intended to expand opportunities for creative talent from around the world to experience South Korea," Jung stated. The ministry plans to establish a supportive environment that encourages highly skilled individuals to explore the country, potentially encouraging them to establish roots and contribute to Korea's development.

We will establish a settlement model that encourages highly skilled individuals to experience the country’s appeal, voluntarily put down roots here and become valuable assets to Korea.

— Jung Sung-hoJustice Minister, outlining the government's strategy to retain skilled foreign residents.
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Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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