Country comparison · Residence Policy Index

Japan or South Korea: where is life easier for a foreigner?

In short: a specialist with a job offer gets into Japan more easily, but status is steadier in Korea. Japan sets no salary floor and leads to permanent residency faster, but from 2027 your status will depend on paying taxes and contributions on time. Korea does not change rules retroactively and offers a route without a local employer, but it is harder on families. In our ranking Japan is 8th of 97 and South Korea 15th.

Japan8 of 97 · score 78 · league BMoving to Japan →South Korea15 of 97 · score 75 · league BMoving to South Korea →

Short answer

Which to choose

Choose Japan

If you have an offer from a Japanese employer: there is no income threshold, the employer files online, the certificate of eligibility takes 1-3 months, and under the points system permanent residency is possible after just one year with 80 points. The price is dependence on your employer and a turn towards control: from April 2027 permanent residency can be revoked for unpaid taxes and contributions, and dual citizenship is not allowed.

Choose South Korea

If a secure status matters to you or you work for a foreign employer: there is the F-1-D remote work visa, after an involuntary job loss you can switch to the D-10 job-seeker visa for up to three years, and rules are not changed retroactively. But for most applicants the F-1-D income bar is twice the national average, family visas are issued only through a consulate abroad, and citizenship means giving up your previous one.

Facts side by side

Japan and South Korea side by side

JapanSouth Korea

Ranking8th of 97, score 78, league B15th of 97, score 75, league B

Main routeA work status sponsored by a Japanese employer; no income floor, pay must match a Japanese worker in the same roleE-7 work visa with a sponsor; salary from ₩31.12 million a year, about ₩2.59 million a month

Without an employerPractically impossible: business visa from ¥30 million, nomad visa for up to 6 months with no residence cardF-1-D remote work visa, for most at twice the national average income; D-8 investor visa from ₩100 million

Processing time1-3 months for the certificate of eligibility, then 5 working days for the visaUsually 3-4 weeks for an E-7, 7-15 working days for a renewal

Timeline in practiceSome cases, especially family ones, stretch to 100 days or moreIn-country cases also need an immigration office appointment: about 3 weeks in Seoul, 4-6 at peak

FeesFrom 1 October 2026, ¥10,000 to ¥75,000 per permit depending on its length; permanent residency ¥200,000₩350,000-400,000 (about $250-290) per adult over five years

Permanent residencyAfter 1 year with 80 points, 3 years with 70, otherwise 10 yearsF-5 after 5 years, or 3 years via the F-2-7 visa with income of about twice the national average

CitizenshipAfter 5 years of residence, Japanese at primary school level, no dual citizenshipOnly after permanent residence, 6-7 years in practice, giving up your previous one

If you lose your jobStatus is cancelled after three months without work under it, but job hunting counts as a valid reason30 days to find a new sponsor; after an involuntary exit, the D-10 job-seeker visa for up to three years

Spouse's right to workOnly with a separate permit and up to 28 hours a weekOnly with a separate permit, often subject to Korean language skills

Tax regime11.9-16% on a typical salary; foreign income not brought into Japan untaxed for the first 5 yearsFlat 19% (about 20.9% with local tax) if you start work by 31 December 2026; ordinary scale 8.5-11.2%

Main problemA turn towards control: from 2027 unpaid taxes and contributions can cost you your statusFamily: visas for relatives only through a consulate, family arrival now takes about four months

Ranking

Seven areas of the ranking

JapanSouth KoreaThin mark: average across 97 countries

Agency processing6753

Pressure on newcomers7892

Status security7588

Access to entry9080

Path to citizenship8067

Family rights8880

Settling in7272

Japan is stronger in 4 of 7 areas, South Korea in 2, tied in 1.

How newcomers are treated

How each country treats newcomers

Japan

The state wants specialists: the main route has no income floor, employers file online, there are no months-long queues, work visa quotas are growing, and there are no mandatory integration courses. Since autumn 2025 policy has turned towards control: rules on revoking permanent residency, a sixfold capital increase for the business visa, and a package of measures on foreigners dated 23 January 2026. From April 2027 permanent residency can be revoked for unpaid taxes and contributions, which concerns about 918,000 people. We found no revocations or removals of legal residents so far.

South Korea

Korea is courting specialists rather than pushing them away: in the past 12 months we found no case of state pressure on legally resident foreigners, rules change in advance with an announced date, and the remote work visa was made permanent. The weak spot is family: since 2025 visas for a spouse and children are issued only through a consulate abroad, and a spouse may work only with a separate permit. The quota for low-skilled labour has been cut for the second year running, to 80,000 places in 2026.

Passport

What your passport changes

JapanSouth Korea

US citizensNo visa for up to 90 days; to live and work, a work status like everyone elseNo visa for up to 90 days, with no extension; no K-ETA needed until 31 December 2026

Nationals of countries with special agreementsWorking holiday visas under bilateral agreements; separate channels for nurses and care workers from Indonesia, the Philippines and VietnamNo specific rules on the country page

Ukrainian citizensA visa is needed for trips; since 1 December 2023 complementary protection for people fleeing war, usually leading to long-term resident statusA visa is needed, but the consular fee is waived under a bilateral agreement; then the same work visa route

Russian and Belarusian citizensNo direct restrictions on work statuses when we checked on 9 August 2026; a visa is needed for short tripsNo direct restrictions on the E-7 when we checked on 9 August 2026; Russian citizens can enter visa-free for up to 60 days at a time and 90 in 180

Questions and answers

Questions: Japan or South Korea

Japan or South Korea: where is it easier to get residency?

With a local employer, Japan: there is no income floor and the employer files for you. Without one, Korea is more realistic: the F-1-D remote work visa exists, though for most applicants the income bar is twice the national average; in Japan this route is practically closed.

Which issues work visas faster, Japan or South Korea?

In Korea an E-7 decision usually takes 3-4 weeks, plus an immigration office appointment for in-country cases, about three weeks in Seoul. In Japan the certificate of eligibility takes 1-3 months and the visa another 5 working days, and family cases stretch to 100 days or more.

Which is cheaper for residency, Japan or South Korea?

Fees are modest in both. Korea costs ₩350,000-400,000 (about $250-290) per adult over five years. In Japan, from 1 October 2026 a permit costs ¥10,000 to ¥75,000 depending on its length, and permanent residency has risen to ¥200,000.

Where are permanent residency and citizenship faster, Japan or South Korea?

Permanent residency is faster in Japan: one year with 80 points, against 3 years via Korea's F-2-7 visa with a high income or 5 years otherwise. Citizenship in Japan comes after 5 years of residence, in Korea only after permanent residence, 6-7 years in practice; both require giving up your previous citizenship.

Where is status safer if you lose your job?

Korea: you have 30 days to find a new sponsor, and after an involuntary exit the D-10 job-seeker visa for up to three years. In Japan status is cancelled only after more than three months without work and without a valid reason, and job hunting counts; but from June 2027 unpaid pension and health contributions will mean a refused renewal.

Japan or South Korea: which is better for expats?

It depends on what matters to you. Japan is easier to enter for a specialist with an offer and faster to permanent residency, but policy has turned towards control. Korea is steadier on status and does not change rules retroactively, but it is harder on families.