Korea Seasonal Worker Visa (E-8) 2026: How to Apply, Eligibility and Official Contacts
Last checked: July 19, 2026
Quick answer
Korea’s Seasonal Worker Program is a local-government route for short-term work in farming and fisheries. It is commonly associated with the E-8 Seasonal Work status. You do not normally apply by sending a CV to a national job board: a participating Korean city or county selects workers, applies for a confirmation of visa issuance, and the worker then applies for the visa through a Korean diplomatic mission abroad.
For 2026, the government announced a national introduction scale of 109,100 seasonal workers. That figure is a programme allocation, not a list of open jobs and not a guarantee that an individual applicant will be selected.
If you are looking for short-term farm or fishery work in Korea, the first question is not simply “Which visa should I apply for?” It is whether a participating local government has an eligible recruitment route that fits your situation. This guide explains the route, what the 2026 allocation means, and where to ask for an official answer.
What is Korea’s Seasonal Worker Program?
The Ministry of Justice describes the Seasonal Worker Program as a way for local governments to hire foreign workers legally for short periods during busy farming and fishing seasons. Local governments introduce the programme, while the Ministry of Justice determines allocations after consultation with relevant ministries.
This is different from an ordinary private recruitment process. The local government is central to selection and the visa-issuance process. For that reason, an employer’s promise, a social-media post, or a broker’s advertisement is not by itself proof that a visa will be available.
Who may be eligible?
Eligibility depends on the programme route used by the participating local government and on the immigration rules that apply at the time. The Ministry of Justice identifies routes that can include residents of overseas local governments that have a seasonal-worker agreement with a Korean local government, certain family members connected to marriage immigrants, and some people already staying in Korea who meet the programme requirements.
That does not mean every foreign national can apply directly. Your nationality, residence, relationship to the relevant route, the local government’s agreement, available allocation, and timing can all matter. Ask the local government which recruitment route applies before paying an agency or making travel plans.
How the application route works
- Find the relevant local-government route. Identify a city or county participating in the programme and ask whether it is recruiting through an overseas-partner route, a family route, or another permitted channel.
- Complete local selection. The local government, not this website, decides how and when candidates are selected.
- Visa-issuance confirmation. The local government applies to immigration for a confirmation of visa issuance for selected workers.
- Apply at a Korean diplomatic mission abroad. Once the relevant confirmation is issued, the worker applies for the visa through the appropriate Korean embassy or consulate.
- Enter and work only as authorised. Confirm your permitted workplace, period, contract terms, insurance, housing, pay, and reporting obligations before you travel.
What the 2026 allocation means
On December 23, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced a 2026 introduction scale of 109,100 seasonal workers – 94,100 allocated to farms and fisheries in 142 local governments, plus a 15,000 flexible reserve for public-type programmes, pilots, and urgent demand. The official announcement says the total was 14.1% higher than the 2025 allocation.
The supplied allocation sheet lists local-government allocations for the first and second halves of 2026. Large entries on that sheet include the following examples:
| Province | Local government | 2026 allocation shown |
|---|---|---|
| South Jeolla | Wando County | 4,456 |
| North Jeolla | Gochang County | 4,355 |
| South Jeolla | Haenam County | 3,693 |
| North Gyeongsang | Sangju City | 2,816 |
| South Gyeongsang | Miryang City | 2,802 |
| South Chungcheong | Seosan City | 2,472 |
| South Jeolla | Boseong County | 2,400 |
| Gangwon | Hongcheon County | 2,043 |
These figures are useful for understanding where programme capacity is concentrated. They are not a ranking of wages, job quality, or current vacancies. The full supplied allocation sheet should be checked with the relevant local government before relying on a particular figure.
Official provincial contacts for programme questions
The following contacts are listed in the supplied provincial-government contact sheet. Department names are translated for readability; use the Korean department name when calling if needed.
| Province / city | Department listed | Telephone |
|---|---|---|
| Gangwon | Eco-Friendly Agriculture Division (친환경농업과) | 033-249-2608 |
| Gyeonggi | Agricultural Policy Division (농업정책과) | 031-8008-4414 |
| South Gyeongsang | Agricultural Policy / Fisheries Policy (농업정책과 / 수산정책과) | 055-211-6224 055-211-4003 |
| North Gyeongsang | Agricultural Transformation / Maritime and Fisheries (농업대전환과 / 해양수산과) | 054-880-3313 054-880-7720 |
| Daegu | Agricultural Products Distribution Division (농산유통과) | 053-803-6522 |
| Busan | Fisheries Policy Division (수산정책과) | 051-888-5405 |
| Sejong | Agricultural Policy Division (농업정책과) | 044-300-4315 |
| Ulsan | Agriculture and Livestock Division (농축산과) | 052-229-2912 |
| Incheon | Agriculture and Livestock Division (농축산과) | 032-440-4366 |
| South Jeolla | Agricultural Policy / Eco-Friendly Fisheries (농업정책과 / 친환경수산과) | 061-286-6231 061-286-6991 |
| North Jeolla | Agriculture and Life Policy / Fisheries Policy (농생명정책과 / 수산정책과) | 063-280-4153 063-280-4644 |
| Jeju | Eco-Friendly Agriculture Policy Division (친환경농업정책과) | 064-710-3053 |
| South Chungcheong | Agricultural Policy / Fisheries Resources (농업정책과 / 수산자원과) | 041-635-4018 041-635-4133 |
| North Chungcheong | Agricultural Policy Division (농업정책과) | 043-220-3525 |
What to ask before you contact a local government
Keep your inquiry specific. A useful message states your nationality, current country of residence, whether you are already in Korea, the route you believe may apply to you, and the local government you are asking about. Then ask:
- Is recruitment currently open for the 2026 first or second half?
- Which eligibility route applies to my situation?
- Which local employer or public-type programme is recruiting?
- What documents, selection steps, and deadline apply?
- What are the confirmed workplace, contract period, pay, housing, insurance, and cost responsibilities?
Related guides
- How to Work in Korea as a Foreigner: Work Visa Roadmap
- Korean Employment Rights for Foreign Workers
- E-9 to E-7 Options: What Changes When You Seek a Longer-Term Route?
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal advice or a recruitment service. Immigration rules, local recruitment routes, allocations, and contact details can change. Confirm your current eligibility and visa procedure with the responsible Korean local government, the relevant Korean diplomatic mission, or the Ministry of Justice before acting.