Korea no longer applies one income threshold to every workation applicant. Under the reform effective 30 June 2026, the relevant amount depends on your age, intended residence and whether family accompanies you. A guide that gives everyone the same two-times-GNI threshold describes the earlier framework.
F-1-D is a route for eligible remote workers attached to overseas companies. It is not a general permission to take a Korean job. Start by checking the work arrangement, then use the income table.
Checked against the Ministry of Justice's July 2026 release on 17 October 2026.
Find your row before comparing your income
The ministry's official table gives these annual amounts using 2025 gross national income per person:
| Applicant situation | Capital region, excluding designated depopulation or population-decline concern areas | Outside the capital region, or in those designated areas |
|---|---|---|
| Age 18–34, without accompanying family | 1.5 × GNI: approximately KRW78.62 million | 1 × GNI: approximately KRW52.41 million |
| Age 35+, without accompanying family | 2 × GNI: approximately KRW104.83 million | 1.5 × GNI: approximately KRW78.62 million |
| Accompanied by spouse or minor children, regardless of age | 2 × GNI: approximately KRW104.83 million | 1.5 × GNI: approximately KRW78.62 million |
The formula uses the previous year's GNI announced by the Bank of Korea as applicable when you apply. These rounded won figures are the ministry's published reference amounts, not permanent thresholds or fixed US-dollar equivalents.
Read the family row first if you are moving together. Do not use a younger applicant's solo threshold to budget a family application.
Work through your actual household plan
Three illustrative comparisons show why a single “minimum salary” answer can mislead:
- A 29-year-old moving alone: compare the two columns in the first row. Choosing the residence location can change which income test applies.
- The same person moving with a spouse: switch to the family row; the solo calculation no longer answers the question.
- A 40-year-old moving alone: use the second row. Being outside the capital region does not put this applicant in the youngest solo band.
These examples identify the relevant row, not an approval outcome. Prepare evidence of the income the authority will accept. If you are close to the threshold, ask how it will assess foreign currency, variable pay and the relevant reporting period before committing to a lease.
The release does not resolve every mixed household or income arrangement. Someone planning to rely on a partner's earnings should ask specifically whether and how those earnings can be counted, rather than adding both salaries without confirmation.
A regional address needs a real residence plan
The ministry lists evidence such as a lease of at least one month or a workation-facility or accommodation reservation for the regional provision.
Use the exact intended address when checking the location category. A listing described as “near Seoul,” “rural” or “outside the city centre” is not an administrative classification.
Before paying a substantial non-refundable housing deposit, send the responsible consulate your proposed address and ask whether your intended evidence supports the applicable band. Also ask what happens if you later move to an address in a different band. The published overview does not provide a universal answer for that change.
For your own decision, compare the housing commitment, transport needs and access to services alongside the income test. A location is useful only if you can actually live and work there.
Check the work arrangement and supporting evidence
The published eligibility overview requires overseas-company affiliation, remote-working capability and at least one year in the same industry. It lists employment and income evidence, a criminal-record certificate, and family evidence where relevant. Private medical insurance must cover at least KRW100 million for hospital treatment and repatriation throughout the stay.
Build the file around clear questions:
| Question | What to prepare or resolve |
|---|---|
| Who employs you? | A clear account of the overseas entity and your role |
| Can the work be performed remotely? | Written employer agreement covering the proposed arrangement |
| How will you prove income? | A consistent explanation connecting the contract and financial records |
| Who is moving? | Names, relationships and the household scenario used for the threshold |
| Where will you live? | The address and evidence supporting your selected column |
| Does the policy fit the insurance requirement? | Written confirmation from the insurer, including relevant exclusions |
If you freelance, own a company or have several clients, describe that arrangement precisely to the consulate. Do not assume that the marketing label “digital nomad” establishes eligibility.
Three years is the ceiling, not the first grant
The reform announcement increases the maximum stay from two years to three. Its attached overview specifies an initial year from entry at foreigner registration, with one-year extensions within that maximum.
Record the authorized end date you actually receive. Ask about renewal evidence and any implications of changes in employment, family or address before making commitments extending beyond that date.
An older embassy page may still show the earlier pilot rules. Take the July ministry release to the consulate handling your application and request its current document checklist. This reconciles the national reform with the office that will assess your file.
For other employment routes, see our Korea work and long-stay overview. For the practical gap between a visitor phone number and resident identity checks, see the Korean SIM guide.