South Korea vs Japan digital nomad visa: length wins
East Asia’s two famous remote stays are not interchangeable. South Korea’s workcation visa is now a lasting scheme with age- and region-tiered income. Japan’s digital nomad status is a hard six months with no renewal and no residence card.
At a glance
South Korea income: $6,290 / mo. Japan: $5,583 / mo.
| South Korea | Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Open | Open |
| Income | $6,290 / mo | $5,583 / mo |
| Savings | None required | None required |
| First stay | 1 year, extendable to 3 | 6 months, non-renewable |
| Permanent residence | None (medium) | None (high) |
| Schengen | No | No |
Income and savings stay on the country pages, with sources and grades. This table is rebuilt from those rows when the site builds.
The short answer
Pick South Korea if you can meet the GNI-based income tier for your age and region and want up to three years. Pick Japan only for a single six-month stay at a high fixed income — it will not renew and it will not start a PR clock.
Side by side
| South Korea | Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | Workcation Visa F-1-D (active) | Digital Nomad Designated Activities (active) |
| Income | Multiplier of GNI per capita by age/region | Fixed high annual yen threshold |
| Duration | One year, extendable toward three | Six months, non-renewable |
| PR | No — F-1 is not on the F-5 qualifying list | No — no residence card on this status |
| Documents | Official list on the country page | Empty graded list |
Who each fits
- Korea: longer East Asia stays after the pilot became permanent — read the Ministry notice on the country page.
- Japan: a short, high-bar stay with no illusion of settlement.
See also
- Compare South Korea and Japan
- Open app · Check eligibility
- News: South Korea nomad visa left its pilot
- News: Japan’s nomad visa is still six months
- The income bar that moves while you pack
The rows behind this
Every figure this post relies on lives on a country page with its source and its confidence grade beside it. That is where it gets corrected, and where it stays current after the post stops being news.
- South Korea — Workcation Visa (F-1-D)
- Japan — Digital Nomad Visa (Designated Activities)
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