South Korea has officially launched the F-1-D digital nomad visa, allowing foreigners to live in the country while working for overseas companies. The new rules introduce more flexible income requirements and extend the maximum stay period from two to three years, The Korea Herald reports.
Who is eligible for South Korea’s digital nomad visa
The digital nomad visa, also known as the “workation” visa, came into effect on June 30. It is designed for professionals who work remotely for companies outside South Korea and want to live in the country without the need to be employed by a local company. South Korean Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho said the program is aimed at expanding opportunities for foreign specialists and creative professionals from around the world.
The launch of the new visa followed the completion of a pilot program that ran from January 2024 to May 2026. After reviewing the results, the authorities revised the eligibility requirements to make the program more attractive to international professionals.
During the pilot period, applicants were generally required to have an income of at least twice South Korea’s previous year’s gross national income (GNI) per capita. Under the revised rules, requirements now depend on factors such as the applicant’s age and planned place of residence. Lower income thresholds apply to certain categories of applicants.
For example, foreigners aged 18 to 34 who plan to live outside Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province can qualify for the visa by proving income at the level of the previous year’s GNI per capita. In 2025, this figure stood at $36,963.
South Korea is changing its migration policy
South Korea is revising its migration policy due to demographic changes and shifts in the labor market. Earlier, the Ministry of Justice introduced the “2030 Immigration Policy Future Strategy.” The plan includes attracting foreign specialists, supporting regional economies, improving border management, developing social integration programs and protecting the rights of foreign citizens.
The government is focusing not only on digital nomads. It plans to expand eligibility for the Top-Tier visa, which was previously available to specialists working in advanced industries. The visa will also become available to professors and researchers in science and technology fields.
To address labor shortages in manufacturing, South Korea will introduce a new K-CORE visa (E-7-M). The program will be linked to the training of foreign students at professional colleges in the country.
In addition, authorities plan to develop training programs for foreign workers in the elderly care sector. Leading universities in different regions will be designated as centers for educating foreign caregivers, while academic programs with effective foreign student management will receive additional visa benefits.
Modernizing the system for admitting foreign nationals
The Ministry of Justice plans to move migration services into a digital format. The Hi-Korea platform will be upgraded to process electronic applications, while artificial intelligence systems and preliminary digital screening tools will be used for document reviews.
Authorities also plan to introduce a registration system for organizations that recruit foreign specialists in order to help companies find qualified workers more efficiently.
The new strategy provides for more precise management of foreign inflows. The government plans to analyze data on age, education, professional skills and Korean language ability to identify groups of foreigners with high integration potential.
When determining the appropriate level of migration, authorities will consider not only employment visas but also education, family migration, business and tourism-related visas.
To protect the domestic labor market, South Korea plans to establish an advisory committee on foreign workers’ wages. The body will be able to recommend minimum salary levels depending on industry and worker category.
Competition for digital specialists in Asia
analysts note that South Korea is joining a global trend, while several Asian countries introduced programs for remote workers earlier.
For example, Malaysia began attracting digital professionals in 2022 and expanded participant categories in 2024, moving beyond IT specialists to include professionals from other fields.
Japan introduced its own digital nomad visa in 2024. It allows remote workers employed by overseas companies or clients to stay in the country for up to six months. The visa cannot be extended.
Thailand expanded opportunities for long-term stays for foreigners in 2024. The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is aimed, among others, at digital nomads and provides a longer stay compared with standard tourist permits.
In Taiwan, the digital nomad visa has been available since January 2025. The permitted stay period was expanded from six months to two years.
South Korea has chosen a longer-term format, with a three-year stay period that appears more competitive compared with many regional programs. At the same time, the initiative is part of a broader migration strategy focused not only on digital nomads but also on attracting researchers, engineers and other highly skilled professionals. This approach allows the country to compete for mobile talent in the Asian market.