Last reviewed: October 25, 2026
Quick answer
F-2-R is Korea’s regional talent residence status (지역특화형 우수인재). It is for people who commit to live and work, or run a business, in a listed population-decline area for 5 years. There is no points test.
You need a recommendation from a participating province. You also need either a Korean degree or past-year income at that province’s living wage, and KIIP level 3 or TOPIK 3. You apply inside Korea, and some statuses, including E-9, cannot switch.
October 2026 update: on October 7, 2026 the Ministry of the Interior and Safety re-designated 92 population-decline areas and 18 areas of concern. The Ministry of Justice has not yet said how this changes F-2-R target areas, so confirm your area with the province and 1345 first.
What is the F-2-R visa?
F-2-R is the “Regional Specialized Talent” residence status. It is one part of Korea’s Regional Specialized Visa program, which also includes E-7-4R for skilled workers and F-4-R for overseas Koreans.
The deal is simple: a participating province recommends you, and in return you agree to live and work (or run a business) in the recommended area for at least 5 years from the date you get F-2-R. The 5 years is a commitment, not the length of one permit. The 2026 provincial notices give the pattern: the first F-2-R permit is for up to 1 year, the first extension is 1 year, and later extensions are up to 2 years each, as long as you keep meeting the conditions. You may not start work in the recommended area until the change of status is approved.
The current standards come from MOJ Notice No. 2026-248, in force since August 3, 2026.
Who can apply, and who cannot
You must be a foreign national legally staying in Korea. F-2-R is a change of status inside Korea. The visa manual does not provide an overseas visa route.
You cannot change to F-2-R from these statuses: D-3, D-4, E-6-2, E-8, E-9, E-10, G-1 or H-1. D-10 holders whose previous status was one of these are also excluded. So are some short-term visitors from countries on MOJ’s special-documents list, and anyone who held a regional specialized visa (or its family status) in the past 5 years.
MOJ lists who is excluded, not who is eligible. Other legal residents, such as D-2 graduates, D-10 job seekers and many E-7 workers, may apply if they meet every requirement.
- E-7-4 holders can apply after 2 years on E-7-4.
- E-7-4R holders can apply after 3 years on E-7-4R if they live in a population-decline area.
- Young people who grew up in Korea and lived in a population-decline area for 4+ years on D-10 or E-7-Y have a simplified route. Some provincial student programs also support a move to F-2-R. Ask 1345 which route fits you.
F-2-R requirements in 2026
| Requirement | What the manual asks for |
|---|---|
| Recommendation | A recommendation letter from the head of a participating province or metropolitan city. The county or district first selects candidates and sends the list to the province. The letter is valid for 3 months and covers one application. Each county can recommend only a limited share of people of the same nationality. |
| Degree or income | Either a Korean associate degree or higher earned while studying in Korea on D-2 for at least 2 years (students graduating within 6 months can apply), or your own taxed income for the previous calendar year at or above the living wage published by the recommending province. GNI is not used for this test. |
| Residence and work | Live in the recommended area and work there, or run a business there. Some provinces allow living and working in different places within the same province. |
| Korean language | KIIP level 3 completed (or placed at level 4+ in the KIIP pre-test), or TOPIK level 3+. The certificate must be valid on the application date. |
| Good conduct | No disqualifying criminal or immigration record (see below). |
| Local requirements | Some counties add their own conditions, such as priority for certain degrees. |
Income proof
A job offer alone does not prove income when you change status. MOJ asks for an official income certificate from the tax office. Only taxed income counts, such as wages, business, interest, dividends and pensions. The living wage differs by province and year, so check the recommending province’s current figure.
Good conduct
You will be refused if, for example, you were ever sentenced for a violent crime, fraud, voice phishing, drugs or a sexual offense; finished a prison sentence (including a suspended one) less than 5 years ago; were fined KRW 3 million or more in the last 3 years; or received immigration fines totaling KRW 5 million or more, or 3 or more immigration fines, in the last 3 years.
Which areas are eligible for F-2-R?
F-2-R is not open in every rural area. The target area must be a population-decline area inside a province or metropolitan city that takes part in the program, and the county or district must have asked for an F-2-R quota. MOJ sets a quota for each participating province, and the province shares it among its counties.
The MOJ manual’s 2025–2026 list (valid to December 31, 2026) covers parts of Busan, Daegu, Gyeonggi (Yeoncheon and Gapyeong), Gangwon, North and South Chungcheong, North and South Jeolla, and North and South Gyeongsang. Seoul is not included. Gyeonggi is not fully excluded, because two counties are on the list.
Re-designation on October 7, 2026. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety now lists 92 population-decline areas (89 before) and 18 areas of concern. Press reports name Geumjeong-gu (Busan), Dongducheon and Tongyeong as new population-decline areas. Yeonggwang, Dong-gu (Busan) and Seo-gu (Daegu) were removed and keep their support for 5 years as “Population Vitality+” areas.
Some removed areas were on the 2025–2026 F-2-R list. As of October 9, 2026, the Ministry of Justice has not said how this affects new recommendations or existing F-2-R holders. Ask the province and 1345 before you apply or move.
The list changes, so do not rely on a fixed number of regions. If a county’s quota is used up, you may have to wait for a new allocation. Ask the county office before you relocate.
2026 F-2-R recruitment notices by province
Each province posts its own F-2-R call for candidates, and HiKorea collects the links in one notice. The table below summarizes the latest notice from each province as of October 24, 2026. All notices are in Korean. Most close in late December 2026, and many close earlier if the quota runs out.
| Province | Latest notice | F-2-R target areas and quota | Apply by | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Busan | 3rd call (revised), Aug 27 | Dong-gu, Seo-gu and Yeongdo-gu. 300 places in total, 245 already recommended. The notice is inconsistent on Dong-gu (one table shows no places left, another shows 3), so ask the district office. The notice gives two different counts for the places left (42 or 55, in Seo-gu and Yeongdo-gu), so ask the district office. Applications from Vietnamese nationals are closed. | Dec 24, 18:00 | 051-888-6784 |
| Daegu | 3rd call, Aug 14 | Seo-gu and Nam-gu. 112 places in total, 65 left at the time of the notice (Seo-gu 15, Nam-gu 50). Applications from Vietnamese nationals were closed because the 30% cap was reached. | Dec 18 | City 053-803-6574, Seo-gu 053-663-2543, Nam-gu 053-664-2796 |
| Gyeonggi | 2026 notice, Sep 15 | Gapyeong (60) and Yeoncheon (70), 130 in total. Dongducheon and Pocheon take E-7-4R only. | Dec 31 | Province 031-8030-4673, Gapyeong 031-580-2251, Yeoncheon 031-839-2978 |
| Gangwon | 5th change, Aug 28 | 11 areas, 229 in total: Hoengseong 56, Hongcheon 45, Goseong 33, Yeongwol 30, Pyeongchang 20, Samcheok 15, Jeongseon 10, Taebaek 5, Cheorwon 5, Yanggu 5, Yangyang 5. Applications close when the county’s places run out. | Dec 31 | Your county office (in person, or by email after a phone call) |
| North Chungcheong | 19th call, Sep 11 | Jecheon, Boeun, Okcheon, Yeongdong, Goesan, Danyang. 311 in total, 103 left (Jecheon 18, Boeun 22, Okcheon 23, Yeongdong 21, Goesan 12, Danyang 7). | Dec 24 | 043-220-2693 |
| South Chungcheong | 2026 notice, Apr 3 | Gongju, Boryeong, Nonsan, Geumsan, Buyeo, Seocheon, Cheongyang, Yesan, Taean. 501 places. | The April notice set Sep 30 for recommendation letters. Call to check whether it was extended. | 041-635-4992 |
| North Jeolla | 17th revision, Sep 10 (figures as of Sep 9) | 10 areas, 796 in total: Gimje 300, Jeongeup 140, Gochang 90, Buan 80, Imsil 40, Namwon 30, Jinan 30, Jangsu 30, Sunchang 30, Muju 26. 347 had been recommended by Sep 9. | Dec 31, or earlier if full | Province 063-280-2082; job center 063-280-1011; jbvisa.or.kr |
| Jeonnam-Gwangju (former South Jeolla) | 2026 call, Sep 23 | 13 counties, 386 in total: Yeongam 174, Damyang 25, Goheung 25, Gangjin 25, Yeonggwang 25, Gokseong 20, Haenam 20, Jangseong 20, Hwasun 17, Boseong 12, Sinan 10, Jangheung 7, Jindo 6. | Dec 28 (county office receipt) | 061-286-2562, multilingual 1588-5949 |
| North Gyeongsang | Change notice, Sep 8 | 15 areas, 781 in total: Yeongcheon 200, Yeongju 160, Andong 90, Seongju 70, Goryeong 55, Mungyeong 50, Cheongdo 50, Sangju 45, Uiseong 20, Yeongdeok 20, Bonghwa 9, Cheongsong 3, Yeongyang 3, Uljin 3, Ulleung 3. | Dec 24 (letters issued until Dec 31) | 054-880-3667 |
| South Gyeongsang | Change notice, Sep 11 | 11 areas, 1,191 in total: Miryang 340, Haman 260, Changnyeong 100, Goseong 80, Sancheong 80, Geochang 80, Hamyang 61, Hadong 60, Uiryeong 50, Hapcheon 50, Namhae 30. The Gyeongnam Visa Support Center can help you with the paperwork and with finding a job. | Dec 31, 16:00 | Visa center 055-210-3032, quota questions 055-211-3395 |
HiKorea labels the Gyeonggi link as “Incheon”, but it opens Gyeonggi Province’s notice. South Jeolla and Gwangju merged into Jeonnam-Gwangju on July 1, 2026, so older South Jeolla notices have moved to the new site.
What the 2026 notices add
- Living wage figures. North Chungcheong uses KRW 30,539,916 a year (KRW 2,544,993 a month), Gyeonggi KRW 31,480,416 a year (KRW 2,623,368 a month) North Jeolla KRW 31,124,280 a year, South Gyeongsang KRW 30,371,880 a year and Daegu KRW 2,510,299 a month. Other provinces publish their own figure. Your contract pay, and your past-year income if you use the income route, must reach the figure of the province that recommends you.
- Nationality cap. People of one nationality can fill at most 30% of a county’s quota. When the cap is reached, that nationality can be closed early even while places remain, as Daegu did for Vietnamese applicants.
- One province only. If you apply to more than one province at the same time, your recommendation is cancelled and you cannot be recommended again during the program period.
- Local preference. Some counties rank applicants. For example, Jecheon, Okcheon and Goesan in North Chungcheong put graduates of local or in-province colleges first.
- Farm employers (from September 9, 2026). Under the small-business pilot, a farming company can now prove its status with an agricultural business entity certificate or its corporate register when it cannot get the farm corporation registration certificate, for example because it was set up before August 2022.
- Korean level. Gangwon lowered its requirement on August 28, 2026 from KIIP level 4 or TOPIK 4 to the national standard of KIIP level 3 or TOPIK 3. The document lists of South Gyeongsang and Gangwon still mention level 4 even though their requirement tables say level 3, so check with the province before you apply.
- Apply in person. Most provinces take applications in person at the county or district office. Some also accept registered mail or email, North Jeolla also takes online applications at jbvisa.or.kr, and South Gyeongsang accepts them at the Gyeongnam Visa Support Center. A licensed agent can file for you with a power of attorney. After the letter is issued, book a HiKorea visit and apply for the change of status within 3 months.
Job and business rules
Working for an employer
- The contract must run for at least 1 year and start within 3 months of your application.
- Pay must be at least the province’s living wage and the minimum wage.
- No temp-agency, dispatch or day-labor jobs.
- The employer must be located in the recommended area, have no unpaid national or local taxes, and not be barred from hiring foreigners.
- Each employer can hire only a limited number of F-2-R workers, based on its number of Korean employees with employment insurance.
Small-business pilot (May 18, 2026 – December 31, 2027): a small business in manufacturing, wholesale/retail or restaurants, or a farming company, in a population-decline area may hire one F-2-R worker even with no Korean employees, if it meets conditions such as at least 3 years in business and minimum sales.
Starting a business
You can also qualify by running a business in the recommended area from the start. You need an investment of at least KRW 200 million, of which at least KRW 100 million must be foreign capital brought into Korea. You can switch between a job and your own business, or do both, if you meet the rules for each and get a provincial recommendation.
Changing jobs
In your first year after the change to F-2-R, you generally cannot change workplace. Exceptions include business closure or unpaid wages. To change jobs, the new job must meet the F-2-R work rules, you need a new recommendation letter from the province, and you apply for a “change of permit conditions” at your immigration office. There is no fee for this change. After your first year you can change jobs for any reason, but you still need the new recommendation and this review before you start. After a move, the 1-year limit starts again.
Moving within the province
For the first 2 years you must live and work in the recommended area, unless your province allows a split arrangement (Busan and North Jeolla, for example, let you live elsewhere in the province if you work or run a business in the recommended area). After 2 years you may move to another population-decline area in the same province. Moving to a non-listed area, such as Seoul, breaks the permit conditions and can lead to cancellation of your status.
How to apply for F-2-R
- Check the area. Ask the county office whether it is a current F-2-R target area, whether quota remains and whether it has extra conditions.
- Get selected and recommended. The county selects candidates. The province issues the recommendation letter, valid for 3 months.
- Secure a qualifying job or business in the area, plus a home there.
- Apply at your immigration office for a change of status before your current stay expires. You may need a HiKorea appointment.
Main documents
- Integrated application form, passport, photo, residence card
- Proof of your Korean degree (or expected graduation), or an official income certificate from the tax office
- Proof of residence (lease or property registration)
- Employment contract and employer documents (business registration, national and local tax certificates, insurance member lists), or business documents if self-employed
- Criminal record certificate from your home country
- KIIP or TOPIK certificate
- Provincial recommendation letter, issued within the last 3 months
- Any extra documents your county requires
The manual’s F-2-R section does not list the change-of-status fee or a standard processing time. Check HiKorea or 1345. When you receive your residence card, you sign a notice on the regional visa conditions, and the card cannot be collected by another person or by mail.
After approval: conditions, extension and family
- Keep the conditions. Living and working outside the allowed area, or losing the qualifying work or business, can lead to cancellation of your status. The F-2-R section does not set a fixed grace period after job loss. If you lose your job, contact your immigration office or 1345 right away.
- Extension. Your previous year’s income (yours plus your F-3-1R spouse’s) must reach the province’s living wage, and you must still meet the residence and work conditions. If pregnancy, childbirth, parental leave or a work injury left you short, an extension of up to 1 year may be possible.
- Family. Your spouse and minor children can apply for F-3-1R. You need a separate home (not a dormitory). A higher income test applies for households of five or more. Your spouse should complete KIIP level 2 within 2 years, or later extensions may be limited to 6 months. School-age children must attend school in Korea.
- Permanent residence. Many people see F-2-R as a step toward F-5. The F-2-R section of the manual does not set out an F-5 route, so confirm the rules for your case with 1345. For GNI figures used in some F-5 income tests, see our GNI 2026 reference.
F-2-R vs F-2-7
| Item | F-2-R | F-2-7 |
|---|---|---|
| Points test | None | Points-based. See our F-2-7 guide |
| Where you live | A listed area in a participating province | Anywhere in Korea |
| Degree or income | Korean degree, or past-year income at the province’s living wage (pay must still meet the living wage) | See the F-2-7 guide |
| Korean | KIIP level 3 or TOPIK 3 | See the F-2-7 guide |
| Commitment | 5 years in the recommended area | No regional commitment |
| Job change | Limited in year 1; needs a new provincial recommendation | See the F-2-7 guide |
Frequently asked questions
What is the F2R visa in Korea?
F-2-R is a residence status for people recommended by a participating province who commit to live and work, or run a business, in a listed population-decline area for 5 years. It has no points test.
What are the F2R visa requirements?
A provincial recommendation, a Korean degree (from at least 2 years of D-2 study) or past-year income at the province’s living wage, KIIP level 3 or TOPIK 3, good conduct, and a qualifying job or business plus residence in the recommended area.
I graduated from a Korean university and work in Seoul on E-7. Can I get F-2-R?
Possibly. You must move to a listed area, get a provincial recommendation and meet the Korean requirement. Your degree counts only if you studied in Korea on D-2 for at least 2 years, and your new job must pay at least the province’s living wage.
Can E-9 workers apply for F-2-R?
Not directly. E-9 is on the excluded list. Long-term E-9 workers usually look at E-7-4R or E-7-4 first. E-7-4 holders can apply for F-2-R after 2 years, and E-7-4R holders after 3 years if they live in a population-decline area.
Does my company’s head office have to be in the area?
Your workplace must be in the recommended area (or, where the province allows, elsewhere in the same province). Working remotely for an employer located outside the area does not meet the condition.
Did the October 2026 re-designation change F-2-R areas?
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety changed the population-decline list on October 7, 2026, but the Ministry of Justice had not published F-2-R guidance on it as of October 9, 2026. Check with the province and 1345.
Information notice: F-2-R is run by the Ministry of Justice with participating provinces and counties. Target areas, quotas, living-wage levels and Korean requirements can change. Always confirm with the province, your county office and the 1345 immigration helpline before you move or sign a contract. This guide is general information based on official sources checked October 25, 2026, not legal advice.