South Korea Eases Digital Nomad Visa Rules to Attract Remote Workers

South Korea has made its digital nomad visa a permanent part of its immigration system, lowering the income bar for entry and extending how long remote workers can stay. The F-1-D visa, widely known as the workation visa, officially took effect on June 30 after running as a pilot from January 2024 through May 2026. 

South Korea's Ministry of Justice announced the permanent, eased rules on July 7. Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho framed the change as part of a longer-term goal for the country. "The digital nomad visa aims to expand opportunities for creative talent around the world to experience Korea," he said, adding that the government wants successful applicants to "voluntarily settle here and become assets to our country."

How the income requirements and length of stay have changed

Under the pilot, nearly every applicant had to show income of at least twice South Korea's per capita gross national income, which stood at $36,963 in 2025, putting the threshold above $65,000 a year for most people.

The new rules replace that flat bar with a sliding scale. According to Erickson Immigration Group, applicants aged 18 to 34 who plan to live outside the Seoul metropolitan area, or in one of the regions the government has flagged for population decline, now only need to show income equal to South Korea's per capita GNI, roughly half the old requirement. Older applicants and those settling in Seoul still face a higher bar, though the exact threshold depends on age and location.