Working remotely from Korea for a foreign employer?

Interest in Korea's F-1-D Digital Nomad (Workation) Visa is surging among remote employees of overseas companies and overseas business owners who want to enjoy Korea's culture and infrastructure while continuing to work for an employer based abroad. The qualification requirements — income thresholds that shift by age and region, and eligibility rules tied to current visa status — trip up most applicants preparing on their own.

Who qualifies

• Owners of an overseas business, or remote employees of a foreign company, who can work remotely and have 1+ year of experience in the same industry — plus their accompanying family
• Primarily aimed at those currently on a short-term stay status (B-1, B-2, C-3), though holders of other statuses can apply if they meet the requirements
• Age 18 or older at the time of application (accompanying children are exempt from the age requirement)

Income requirements by age and region

F-1-D applies a different income threshold depending on the applicant's age and where in Korea they'll be staying, based on the Bank of Korea's published prior-year per-capita GNI:

• Capital area (excluding depopulated/priority-interest regions), ages 18–34: 1.5x GNI
• Capital area, ages 35+: 2x GNI
• Non-capital area or depopulated/priority-interest region, ages 18–34: 1x GNI
• Non-capital area or depopulated/priority-interest region, ages 35+: 1.5x GNI

The regional discount: staying in a non-capital or depopulated region — with a lease of 1+ month or a workation-facility/accommodation booking confirmation as proof — lowers the income bar substantially compared to the capital-area rate.

Why this filing is harder than it looks

The income threshold changes with both the applicant's age and their planned region of stay, and proving it means assembling foreign-issued income and employment documents in a form Korean immigration will accept — which is where a certified-translation administrative agent's dual qualification matters. Employment certificates, income proof, and criminal record certificates issued abroad need accurate translation and certification alongside the visa filing itself, not as a separate downstream step.

What we handle

1. Diagnosing which income bracket applies based on age and intended region of stay, including whether the regional discount is available
2. Certified translation and verification of foreign-issued supporting documents (employment certificate, income proof, criminal record certificate, etc.)
3. Preparing and filing the status-of-sojourn application (from B-1/B-2/C-3 or another qualifying status) directly with immigration

Who typically needs this

Remote employees of an overseas company, or owners of an overseas business, currently in Korea on a short-term visa who want to convert to a longer-term status without leaving — especially those weighing a non-capital region for its lower income bar.

Considering an investor or startup visa instead? See our FDI company setup & D-8 investor visa service.