Which jobs can you do on an H-1 working holiday visa?
What working holiday makers in Korea can and can't do for work, your basic rights as a worker, and red flags to watch for.
The H-1 visa lets you work to fund your travels, but not in every job. The exact rules come from the agreement between Korea and your country, so two backpackers from different countries can have slightly different limits.
The short answer
Most working holiday makers find work in cafés, restaurants, guesthouses and hostels, farms and harvests, ski resorts, events, and shops. These are generally fine.
The jobs below are the ones people most often get wrong.
Jobs usually not allowed on an H-1 visa
| Type of work | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Teaching a language (including English at hagwons or private tutoring) | Language teaching normally needs a different visa, such as the E-2. This is the most common mistake. |
| Licensed professional work (medical, legal and similar) | These need a Korean licence and a work visa. |
| Entertainment venues (hostess bars, some clubs and bars with “entertainment”, adult businesses) | Excluded under the working holiday rules, and risky. |
If a job offer sits in a grey area, check before you start, not after. Working outside your visa can lead to fines, deportation and being refused future visas.
Limits that depend on your country
Some agreements set extra conditions, for example:
- a cap on how long you can work for one employer
- a cap on hours per week
- rules on how many months of your stay you can spend working
Check your own country’s terms with the Korean embassy that issued your visa, or call the immigration helpline 1345 (English available).
Your rights as a worker
Working holiday makers are covered by Korean labour law like anyone else.
- Minimum wage: ₩10,320 per hour in 2026. Your employer must pay at least this, including during training.
- Written contract: your employer should give you a signed employment contract (근로계약서). Keep a photo of it.
- Weekly holiday pay (주휴수당): if you work 15 hours or more a week, you’re usually entitled to an extra paid day’s wage each week.
- Getting paid: wages should be paid at least once a month, on a fixed date.
Red flags in job ads
- “Cash only, no contract”
- Asks you to pay a fee, deposit or “training cost” to get the job
- Keeps your passport or ARC
- Hourly pay below the minimum wage
- Vague job title with very high pay (“bar staff, ₩30,000 an hour”)
If something goes wrong with pay or conditions, you can ask the Ministry of Employment and Labor helpline 1350 for help.