Highlights: South Korea’s innovative “workation” visa allows people to work and travel
- South Korea reveals plans to launch a new “workation” visa which allows people to work and travel.
- Workation visa allows people to stay for a maximum of 1 year.
- Countries in Europe, Central and South America, and Southwast Asia have also recently introduced this visa for digital nomads.
- The Korean Ministry also revealed additional details about other plans and initiatives.
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South Korea Introduces workation visa to facilitate extended stays
South Korea has revealed plans to launch a new working holiday visa for foreign nationals, called the “workation” visa. The visa is set to go into effect on January 1, 2024 and aims to encourage people to remain in the nation for an extended period of time.
Workation combines work with vacation, and allows people to work as well as travel. Nations in Europe, Central and South America, and Southwast Asia have introduced workation visas recently for digital nomads.
Visitors can stay for one year with the workation visa
Foreign nationals who wish to work and travel in Korea currently must get a tourist visa, which is limited to 90 days. With the recently proposed workation visa, visitors may stay for a maximum of one year from the date of admission.
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Eligibility and requirements to qualify for the visa
To qualify for the visa applicants must have one year of work experience in their industry affiliated with international companies. The visa can be eligible for families, with an exception of children who turn 18 or older, and children of the accompanying travelers.
Applicants must earn more than double the South Korea’s gross national product and secure personal medical insurance, and have home evacuation coverage exceeding 100 million won ($7,750).
Workation visa holders must obtain separate visa for certain activities
The workation visa holders cannot engage in profit making activities or work for local companies. Those interested in these activities must obtain a separate work visa.
Candidates can submit their applications at Korean Embassies, and those on limited stays in Korea can change their visas if they fulfil necessary conditions.
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Additional plans and initiatives revealed by Korean Ministry
The Korean Ministry also unveiled its foreign nationals related policy plan for 2027. This plan includes creation of an immigration office with establishing a comprehensive government-wide system to streamline immigration policies.
A system will be implemented allowing all foreign children to register for birth regardless of residency status in an effort to prevent the social isolation of disadvantaged immigrants.
Simultaneously, the government revealed a five-year plan to cut the number of illegal stays in half, aiming to reduce a total count from 420,000 to 200,000.
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