Young Koreans’ working holiday visas to Australia, Canada, Japan surge eightfold
Photos taken by Jung, 24, during his working holiday in Australia last year shows a note from the cafe where he worked, left, and the neighborhood where he lived, right. Courtesy of reader
More young Koreans are turning to working holiday programs to escape years of stalled job searches amid a deepening youth employment crisis.
Many consider spending time abroad to gain work, travel and language experience more meaningful than enduring endless preparation with no guarantee of success.
A working holiday, open to those aged 18 to 35, allows participants to stay in partner countries for extended periods while combining employment and cultural experiences.
Korea has agreements with 26 countries and regions, along with a similar youth mobility scheme with the United Kingdom.
The trend is surging. In 2024, Australia, Canada and Japan issued a combined 32,620 working holiday visas to Koreans, an eightfold jump from 4,250 in 2021. The figure is the second highest in a decade, exceeding even prepandemic levels in 2019.
Photos taken by Jung during his working holiday in Australia last year. Courtesy of Jung
New outlook on working holidays
The shift in perception is striking. Once considered little more than a chance to travel or spend a “gap year,” working holidays are now seen as a pathway to long-term settlement or even immigration.
Australia allows stays of up to three years, and Canada up to four, making them attractive for those seeking permanent residency.
Jung, 24, who left for Australia last year after repeated failures in job applications, said she wanted time away from rigid timelines in Korea.
“I thought I had built a strong resume in college, but the acceptance rate was low. I felt powerless and needed a gap year,” she said. “In Korea, society dictates the proper age for jobs, marriage and childbirth, and that pushed me to look abroad.”
Kim, 25, quit an office job in Korea to work at a meat-processing plant in Australia. “Here, you don’t have to worry about how others see you, and two to three weeks of work can equal a month’s salary in Korea,” he said.
Kim is now preparing to apply for working holidays in the U.K. and Canada, with an eye on eventual emigration.
The boom was evident during an online seminar hosted by the Overseas Koreans Agency on July 7 in Brisbane, Australia. Fifty-two students logged in, applauding with emoji reactions as a former participant shared her experience.
Questions poured in about resumes, job-hunting challenges and workplace conditions. Organizers eventually limited each participant to three questions. One speaker summed up the mood: “The world is wide. Don’t hesitate, just go.”
Experts say the trend underscores the harsh realities facing young Koreans. “There is a growing sense of futility that hard work does not lead to fair results, prompting some to seek a fresh start abroad,” said Chun Sang-jin, sociology professor at Sogang University.
Seol Dong-hoon, sociology professor at Jeonbuk National University, warned of broader demographic consequences.
“The proportion of young people leaving is not large, but in a society already struggling with low birthrates and aging, it is not a good sign,” he said. “Korea must move away from entrenched meritocracy and endless competition.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.