Planning a working holiday after you graduate? Compare it with a paid year in Korea.
The most common destinations are Australia, the UK and France. Korea is a smaller choice and a different one: you can spend a year teaching on a contract signed before you fly, or come on a working holiday and decide once you're here. Written by Korvia Consulting, a Seoul recruiter of English teachers since 2006. Our support is free to teachers.
Quick Answer
Can Canadians do a working holiday in Korea and teach English?
Last updated . Fees, wages and exchange rates are rounded and were checked in October 2026; confirm current figures on the official pages listed under Sources.
At a glance
18–35
Age range for Canada's working holiday in Korea (up to 24 months, twice)
₩2.2M–₩2.35M
EPIK Level 2 monthly pay, Fall 2026 scale, with housing provided
₩1.8M
EPIK entrance allowance (≈ CAD 1,900), repayable if you leave within 6 months
~2 months
From arriving on a working holiday to your first class at an academy (Korvia experience)
Four questions to narrow it down
Answer them in order. If the first two point you away from Korea, that's a fine answer too.
Step 1: English-speaking country, or somewhere new?
English-speaking
Australia, the UK, New Zealand and Ireland pay higher minimum wages and open up a wide range of jobs (New Zealand allows temporary jobs only, and Australia usually limits you to 6 months per employer). Teaching English isn't the usual work there. Check the comparison table and the official links below it.
A new language and culture
If culture or a new language matters most, look at Europe or Asia. Go to step 2.
Step 2: Europe or Asia?
Europe
France, Italy and Germany are popular working-holiday choices. If Spain appeals, look at Korvia's partners. Meddeas places graduates in Spanish schools. For ConversaSpain, ask about current intakes through its website. Spain first, then Korea
Asia
This guide compares Japan and Korea, two Asian countries with working holiday agreements with Canada and large English-teaching markets. Go to step 3.
Step 3: Japan or Korea?
Japan
The JET Programme pays more on paper (about CAD 3,000 a month before tax) and provides your flight to Japan, but does not provide housing, and moving in can cost several months' rent. The working holiday is for ages 18–30, for 12 months, twice, and the visa is free. More countries in best countries to teach English.
Korea
EPIK provides housing, and most academy listings offer housing or a housing allowance. You get help with travel in: an entrance allowance on EPIK (repayable if you leave within 6 months) and flight support in most academy listings. The working holiday is for ages 18–35, for up to 24 months, and you can do it twice.
Step 4: Public school (EPIK) or private academy?
EPIK
Want the most predictable start: housing, an entrance allowance and a contract before you fly? EPIK. You apply from Canada before an intake closes. See the EPIK program guide.
Private academy
Want to choose your city and your school, or see Korea first? A private academy. You can apply from Canada or come on a working holiday and decide in Korea. See hagwon jobs in Korea.
Spain first, then Korea: Korvia's partner programs
Want Europe now and Asia later? Spend a school year in Spain with one of Korvia's partners, then teach in Korea with Korvia. Each partner's alumni guide below covers what carries over.
Places graduates as Language Assistants in Spanish schools and introduced Korvia to its alumni as its trusted partner in South Korea. Its site lists native English speakers with a degree from the last four years, no participation fee and a refundable €850 deposit. Check eligibility with Meddeas.
Meddeas Language Assistant program · Meddeas alumni to Korea
Places Auxiliares de Conversación in public schools in Madrid and Murcia, and lists Canada among eligible nationalities. For current intakes and how to apply, contact ConversaSpain through its website.
For Korea later: you need a finished degree and a passport from one of the seven E-2 countries (Canada is one), and the Spain certificate may not count as a 100-hour TEFL. Spain also runs its own government program (about €800 a month for 14 hours a week; Spanish ministry page). Checked October 2026.
How does a Korean working holiday compare?
In IRCC's 2025-26 IEC Youth Study, past participants (236 people) most often went to Australia (22%), the UK (18%) and France (14%); 3% of all 2,515 respondents named Korea as a country they were interested in. Most working holidays mean short-term jobs at minimum wage. Korea also has a teaching route.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Country | Age | Length | Visa fee | Savings to show | Min. wage / hour | Work allowed | Canada travel advice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 18–35 | 12 months; up to 3 visas* | ≈ CAD 835 | about AUD 5,000 | ≈ CAD 26 | Most jobs; usually 6 months max per employer | Take normal security precautions |
| United Kingdom | 18–35 | Up to 36 months | ≈ CAD 640 + health surcharge | ≈ CAD 4,800 | ≈ CAD 24 | Most jobs | Exercise a high degree of caution |
| France | 18–35 | Up to 24 months | See official site | €2,500 (≈ CAD 4,000) | ≈ CAD 20 | Most jobs | Exercise a high degree of caution |
| Japan | 18–30 | 12 months; twice | Free (per Embassy of Japan) | See official site | ≈ CAD 10–11 | Most jobs (not nightlife) | Take normal security precautions |
| New Zealand | 18–35 | 12 or 23 months | ≈ CAD 615 | ≈ CAD 3,350 | ≈ CAD 19 | Temporary jobs only | Take normal security precautions |
| South Korea | 18–35 | Up to 24 months; twice | ≈ CAD 120 | ≈ CAD 3,400 | ≈ CAD 11 | Up to 40 h/week. Teaching English needs an E-2 visa | Take normal security precautions |
Rounded, in Canadian dollars at Bank of Canada rates for 7 October 2026; checked October 2026. Country names link to the official program page. *Australia's second and third visas require specified regional work. Ireland (18–35, 24 months, most jobs) is also open to Canadians.
A working holiday
Freedom to move around, short-term jobs, and you pay your own rent. Best if travel is the main goal.
A teaching year in Korea
A full-time weekday job, a salary from your first month, housing on EPIK and in most academy listings, and help with your travel in. Less time to roam. Best if you want to save and add something to your resume.
What new graduates ask before choosing Korea
In the same IRCC study, the top worries included the cost of living abroad (72%), paying for the trip (68%), language barriers (61%) and not knowing how to start (61%).
Can I afford it, and what about my student loans?
On the teaching route you earn a salary from your first month and housing is provided on EPIK and in most academy listings, so you can keep up loan payments. Plan for regular payments: the Repayment Assistance Plan requires you to live in Canada, and working abroad is not one of its exceptions. Money and loans
Will I actually have a job?
If you apply from Canada, yes: you sign a contract before you leave. If you come on a working holiday first, you look for an academy job in Korea. Two ways in
Will a year in Korea hurt my career?
It is a full-time job with a contract, a classroom and real responsibility. It counts most for careers in education, languages and work with people. For other fields, expect it to read as international work experience. Compare first jobs in hagwon vs EPIK.
Why Korea instead of Australia or Japan?
If you want to roam, Australia is hard to beat, and Japan's JET pays more on paper. Korea fits if you want to save and teach: housing comes with most teaching jobs, the working holiday runs up to 24 months and you can do it twice, and Canada rates it at the same safety level as Australia and Japan.
Will I be lonely? I don't speak Korean.
The first weeks are the hardest. EPIK starts with a group orientation. If an academy hires you from Canada, you usually start teaching soon after you arrive, so ask about training and who else teaches there before you sign. You don't need Korean to teach. Read the EPIK orientation guide, the arrival checklist and get a Korean eSIM before you land.
Is Korea safe?
Canada's travel advice for South Korea is “Take normal security precautions”, the same level as Australia, Japan and New Zealand (checked October 2026).
How do I start?
You need a bachelor's degree and an apostilled degree and RCMP check. EPIK also requires a TEFL certificate of 100 hours or more unless your degree is in education. In Korvia's experience, allow about 3–4 months from application to arrival. Compare TEFL courses and read which TEFL certificate Korea accepts. Documents
Decide before you fly, or after you arrive?
You can't teach on a working holiday visa. Either way, you teach on an E-2 visa. The difference is when and where you get it.
Path A
Decide everything before you fly
- Apply from Canada and interview online.
- Prepare your documents: apostilles, transcripts and an RCMP check.
- Get your E-2 at a Korean consulate in Canada (how the consulate step works), then fly in and start.
- Works for EPIK and academies, and it's the only way into EPIK: you apply before you come and get the visa outside Korea (EPIK registration).
Path B
Come on a working holiday, then decide
- Enter Korea on a working holiday (H-1) visa and see whether Korea suits you.
- Visit academies in person; browse current academy jobs before you go.
- Hired within 30 days of arriving in Korea? Your employer may reimburse all or part of your flight. After 30 days that is unlikely.
- Private academies only, not EPIK. The status change is explained in Korvia's E-2 change-of-status guide.
| Path A: before you fly | Path B: working holiday first | |
|---|---|---|
| Job before you fly | Yes | No, you look for a job in Korea |
| See Korea first | No | Yes |
| EPIK | Yes (apply before you arrive) | No |
| Private academies | Yes | Yes |
| Getting here | EPIK: entrance allowance (see “EPIK or a private academy?” below). Academy: flight support per contract | Possible employer flight refund (see the 30-day note above) |
| First class | When you arrive and finish orientation or training | About 2 months after arrival; first pay after that |
| Cash up front | Lower | Higher: living costs while you look |
Path B, step by step
Before you leave Canada
Working holiday (H-1) visa, TEFL, apostilled degree, and an RCMP check with apostille. Korea Immigration's manual asks for a criminal record certificate issued within 6 months of your application, so get it no earlier than about 4 months before you fly.
RCMP check and apostille guideOptional
Travel Japan first. The 30-day flight clock starts on the day you arrive in Korea.
Weeks 1–4 in Korea
Visit academies, interview in person and sign a contract. Register as a foreign resident (alien registration card); the change of status is for registered residents, and registration can add time.
How to apply for your ARCThen
If you meet the E-2 requirements, apply to Korea Immigration to change from H-1 to E-2. You'll need a health check with a drug test at a designated Korean hospital. In Korvia's experience the change takes about a month.
E-2 change-of-status guideAfter approval
Start teaching. You can't teach before the E-2 is approved.
Your first-weeks arrival checklist
Two rules to know
Canada's travel advice for South Koreasays work visas must be obtained outside Korea. That is the general rule. Korea Immigration's stay manual (checked October 2026) allows working holiday holders who meet the E-2 requirements to change status inside Korea, and Canada is not on its excluded list. Confirm your own case with Korea Immigration (HiKorea, or call 1345 in Korea).
Coming visa-free instead is possible but slower. If you are hired, you would usually collect your E-2 at a Korean consulate outside Korea, for example in Japan, if that consulate accepts your application. If you plan to look for work in Korea, choose the working holiday visa.
K-ETA and visa-free stays
- As checked in October 2026, Canadians are exempt from K-ETA until 31 December 2026 (Ministry of Justice notice, 23 Dec 2025; Embassy of Korea in Canada).
- Korea has not yet said what happens in 2027. If you travel in 2027, check k-eta.go.kr before you book. When it applies, the fee is ₩10,000 and approval usually takes up to 72 hours.
- K-ETA is only for visa-free visitors. With a working holiday (H-1) or E-2 visa, you don't need one.
- Canadians can stay up to 180 days visa-free (Canada's travel advice), but can't work on a visa-free stay.
EPIK or a private academy?
EPIK is run by NIIED under Korea's Ministry of Education and places teachers in public schools. Private academies, called hagwons, hire all year.
| Public: EPIK | Private academies | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | NIIED, under Korea's Ministry of Education | Private owners |
| When you apply | Before you arrive, for the spring or fall intake | Year-round, from Canada or in Korea |
| Visa | E-2 issued at a Korean consulate outside Korea | E-2 from a consulate, or a change of status in Korea |
| Your school | Assigned after orientation | You choose before you sign |
| Housing | Provided (you pay utilities) | 42 of 55 current listings provide housing or a housing allowance |
| Getting here | ₩1.8M entrance allowance (≈ CAD 1,900), usually more than a one-way economy fare from Vancouver or Toronto. Repayable if you leave within 6 months | 46 of 55 current listings help with the flight in; check your contract |
| Monthly pay | Level 2: ₩2.2M–₩2.35M (Seoul has its own scale) | Most current Korvia listings start at ₩2.3M–₩2.5M; the median top of range is ₩2.8M |
| Working holiday first? | No | Yes |
Academy figures: the 55 open listings on Korvia's job board, checked October 2026.
EPIK extras
- ₩300,000 settlement allowance
- Severance of about one month's pay
- ₩1.3M completion bonus (not in Seoul, Jeju, Gyeonggi or Chungbuk)
Source: EPIK salary & benefits (Fall 2026 scale). Korvia guides: EPIK contract and duties.
EPIK trade-offs
- Orientation is unpaid.
- Your school is confirmed only after orientation.
- Withdrawing after final approval bars you from the next two intakes.
Three private programs worth knowing
Programs are described from Korvia's brand guides; DUX's own site is dux.ac.
What to sort out before you go
Money and student loans
- Canada Student Loan repayments start 6 months after you finish school (canada.ca).
- The Repayment Assistance Plan requires you to live in Canada, and working abroad isn't one of its exceptions (RAP rules). Plan for regular payments and talk to the National Student Loans Service Centre before you leave.
- Working holiday first? Bring at least about CAD 3,400 plus your flight (the amount the Korean working holiday visa asks you to show). Expect about two months before you can teach, and your first pay comes after that. Foreign resident registration can add time.
- Canadians can claim a lump-sum refund of Korean National Pension contributions within five years. See the Canadian teaching guide.
Documents
- Bachelor's degree, apostilled in Canada
- RCMP criminal record check, apostilled in Canada
- TEFL certificate of 100+ hours (meets EPIK's 100-hour minimum)
- Passport valid for your whole stay
- Health check in Korea at a designated hospital (academy route)
Get the apostilles done in Canada: the status change in Korea needs them, and arranging them from abroad takes longer. For the full file, see the E-2 visa guide.
For Languages Canada advisors
Languages Canada, through its consortium, is listed by the Government of Canada as an IEC Recognized Organization. It is not a government department and does not issue visas. Korvia is a Seoul-based recruiter of English teachers. If you advise Canadians who ask about Korea, this section is for you.
The one-minute summary
- Send this page to Canadians with a degree who are weighing a working holiday against a paid teaching year.
- Correct one assumption first: a working holiday visa is not a teaching visa.
- Anyone who wants EPIK must apply from Canada, before an intake closes.
- Korvia's support is free to teachers.
Who answers what
- Visas and status changes
- Korea Immigration (HiKorea, or call 1345)
- EPIK placement and intakes
- EPIK / NIIED
- IEC work permits and Recognized Organizations
- IRCC (and the organization you applied through)
- Jobs, contracts, documents, arrival
- Korvia
Questions you'll get, and where to send them
- What's the difference between a working holiday and teaching?
- Can I teach on a working holiday visa?
- EPIK or a private academy?
- When do I apply for EPIK, and where do I get the visa?
- Who pays for the flight?
- What's the 30-day flight rule?
- Do I need a TEFL?
- What documents do I bring?
- What about my student loans?
- Is Korea safe?
Each link points to a section of this page, so you can copy it and send it on. To share the whole page, use: https://www.korvia.com/working-holiday-korea-canada?utm_source=languages-canada&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=canada-wh-korea
Advisor brochure
A 12-page brochure with the decision steps, both routes, key numbers, program profiles, the documents checklist and every source. Attach it to your reply or print it.
A short intro you can paste
Korvia is a Seoul-based recruiter that places English teachers in Korean public and private schools. Their guide answers most questions about teaching in Korea on a working holiday or straight after graduation: https://www.korvia.com/working-holiday-korea-canada?utm_source=languages-canada&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=canada-wh-korea
If you send someone to Korvia, point them to Korvia's application and ask them to choose “Languages Canada” under “How did you find us?”. Questions for Korvia: contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Can I teach English in Korea on a working holiday visa?
Not on the working holiday (H-1) visa itself: it does not allow work as a language instructor. Korea Immigration's stay manual lets H-1 holders who meet the E-2 requirements change status inside Korea, and Canada is not on its excluded list (the UK, France and Ireland are). You can't teach until the E-2 is approved.
What work can I do on a working holiday while I look for a teaching job?
Up to 40 hours a week (2,080 hours a year), according to the Korean embassy in Canada. Language instruction and other jobs that need a professional qualification are excluded.
Can I extend a Korean working holiday?
Yes. Korea Immigration's stay manual says Canadians can extend a working holiday stay to up to two years. Apply before your permitted stay ends.
Does EPIK pay for my flight?
Not as a ticket. EPIK pays a ₩1.8M entrance allowance (about CAD 1,900), which is usually more than a one-way economy fare from Vancouver or Toronto. You repay it if you leave within 6 months. A ₩1.3M completion bonus follows at the end of the contract, except in Seoul, Jeju, Gyeonggi and Chungbuk.
What happens if I withdraw from EPIK after final approval?
EPIK bars applicants who withdraw after final approval from its next two intakes. Orientation is unpaid, and your school is confirmed only after orientation, so be sure before you accept.
Do I need a K-ETA to visit Korea?
Not for visa-free visits until 31 December 2026: Korea's Ministry of Justice extended the K-ETA exemption for Canada to that date, and as of 8 October 2026 it had not announced what happens in 2027. If you enter on a working holiday visa, K-ETA doesn't apply, because it is only for visa-free travellers. Canadians can visit visa-free for up to 180 days.
Can I come visa-free and look for a job instead?
You can, but it is slower. If you are hired, you would usually collect your E-2 visa at a Korean consulate outside Korea, for example in Japan, if that consulate accepts your application. If you want to look for work in Korea, the working holiday visa is the better route.
How do I get my Korean pension contributions back?
Canadians can claim a lump-sum refund of National Pension contributions, before or after leaving Korea, within five years, according to Korea's National Pension Service.
Do I have to pay Korvia?
No. Korvia's support is free to teachers.
Sources and references
Official sources first, grouped by topic. Each was checked on 8 October 2026.
Working holiday rules by country
- IRCC: Work and travel in South Korea (IEC)
- Embassy of Korea in Canada: Working Holiday (H-1)
- Korea Working Holiday Info Center: Working holiday guide (PDF)
- Australian Department of Home Affairs: Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
- UK Government: Youth Mobility Scheme visa
- Immigration New Zealand: Canada Working Holiday visa
- Embassy of Japan in Canada: Working Holiday Program
- Embassy of France in Canada: Franco-Canadian youth mobility agreement
- JET Programme (CLAIR): FAQ: pay, housing and flights
- Spain Ministry of Education: Language assistants 2026-27
Korea visas, status changes and entry
- Korea Immigration Service (HiKorea): Stay manual by status, 18 Sep 2026 edition
- Ministry of Justice K-ETA Center: Notice on extension of the K-ETA temporary exemption (23 Dec 2025)
- Ministry of Justice K-ETA Center: K-ETA application guide: who applies, fee, processing time
- Embassy of Korea in Canada: Visa-free entry for Canadian passport holders
EPIK
- EPIK (NIIED): Eligibility
- EPIK (NIIED): Salary and benefits (Fall 2026 scale)
- EPIK (NIIED): Application process
Money, loans and pension
- Government of Canada: Repaying your student loans
- Government of Canada: Repayment Assistance Plan
- National Pension Service: Lump-sum refund for foreigners
- Bank of Canada: Daily exchange rates (7 Oct 2026)
Safety
- Government of Canada: Travel advice: South Korea
- Government of Canada: Travel advice: Japan
- Government of Canada: Travel advice: United Kingdom
- Government of Canada: Travel advice: France
Spain partner programs
- Meddeas: Language Assistant program: requirements and conditions
- ConversaSpain: Eligible nationalities (home page)
- ConversaSpain: Auxiliar de Conversación program
Surveys and data
- IRCC (Earnscliffe): 2025-26 IEC Youth Study
- IRCC: IEC Recognized Organizations
- Australian Department of Home Affairs: Working Holiday Maker report, June 2025
Korvia data
- Korvia: job board, 55 open academy listings on 8 Oct 2026 (pay, housing, flight)
- Korvia: placement experience (30-day flight refund, one-month status change, 3–4 month timeline)
All sources checked 8 October 2026. The 30-day flight reimbursement, the one-month status change and the 3–4 month timeline reflect Korvia's placement experience; each employer and immigration office decides individual cases. Academy pay, housing and flight figures come from Korvia's job board on the same date.
Apply to teach in Korea with Korvia
Fill in Korvia's application. A coordinator will tell you whether EPIK, an academy or the working-holiday route fits your dates, and send your document list. If Languages Canada sent you, choose “Languages Canada” under “How did you find us?”.
This page is general information, not immigration or legal advice. Visa rules, pay and allowances are set by Korea Immigration, EPIK, provincial offices of education and individual academies, and they change. Confirm your case with the official source before you commit. Reviewed by the Korvia Editorial Team. Published .