Unemployment benefit in Korea — who qualifies, how much, and the E-9 catch
Verified firsthand · Employment Insurance Act (고용보험법) Articles 10-2, 40, 46, 49, 50 and 58 read directly on law.go.kr on 2026-08-27. The 2026 cap of 68,100 won and floor of 66,048 won follow figures verified in August 2026.
Every month your payslip loses 0.9% to employment insurance. So if you lose your job, do you get anything back?
For E-9 workers, the answer carries a condition most people have never heard of.
Short answer
| E-9 · H-2 | The benefit is NOT automatic. You qualify only if you APPLIED for this part in advance (Art. 10-2) |
| Conditions | 180 insured days within the 18 months before leaving + you did not leave by your own choice (Art. 40, 58) |
| Rate | 60% of the base daily amount — 2026 cap 68,100, floor 66,048 won |
| Duration | 120 – 270 days, by age and insured years (Art. 50) |
An estimate. E-9/H-2 workers receive it only if they APPLIED for the unemployment-benefit part in advance — see the article.
Why E-9 workers must apply first
Employment Insurance Act, Article 10-2(1):
This Act shall apply to foreign workers subject to the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers. However, Chapters 4 (unemployment benefits) and 5 shall apply only where an application has been filed as prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
So for E-9 and H-2:
| Employment security programmes (employer-paid) | apply automatically |
| Unemployment benefit (Chapter 4) | ONLY if you applied |
No application, no entitlement — even after an unfair dismissal. Check today: ask your company, or call 1350, whether your enrolment in the 실업급여 part was filed. If not, it can be done through your workplace.
Foreigners outside E-9/H-2 (F-2, F-5, F-6, E-7 and others) are covered according to their status of stay, with details in the Presidential Decree. We have not yet read that classification in the source, so we print no table — confirm your own case via 1350.
The conditions — Article 40
① 180 insured days in total during the 18 MONTHS before leaving
② Willing and able to work, but not employed
③ Your reason for leaving is not excluded under Article 58 (below)
④ Actively trying to find new work
The 180 days are insured unit days, not six calendar months — unpaid days may not count. If you are near the line, ask 1350 first.
Quitting by choice disqualifies you — Article 58
An insured person is deemed ineligible where: 1. Dismissed for serious misconduct — a sentence of imprisonment or heavier, major damage to the business, or long unexcused absence 2. Left for personal reasons — to change jobs or start a business, or for a reason not recognised as justifiable
A note for E-9 workers: changing workplace for reasons not attributable to the worker (unpaid wages, closure and so on) is not "quitting by choice". If you left because the employer broke the rules, keep the evidence — it decides both your workplace-change and your benefit eligibility.
How much — Article 46
Daily benefit = base daily amount × 60%
For 2026: cap 68,100 won/day · floor 66,048 won/day (the floor is 80% of the minimum hourly wage × 8 hours). The two are close, so most rank-and-file workers end up between 66,000 and 68,000 won a day — roughly 2 million won a month.
For how long — Articles 49 and 50
| Waiting | the first 7 days after reporting unemployment are unpaid (Art. 49) | |
| Days | by age at leaving and insured years (Annex 1): under 1 year 1–3 years 3–5 years 5–10 years 10+ years | 120 days 150 (under 50) / 180 (50+) 180 / 210 210 / 240 240 / 270 |
How to claim
Report unemployment at the employment centre (고용센터) for your area, register as a job-seeker, then periodically show your job-search activity. Nothing happens without the claim — the benefit is paid only on application.
Call 1350 before you go (multilingual) to hear what to bring.
Frequently asked questions
They already deduct 0.9% every month — why apply separately? That 0.9% is the premium for this very benefit — but for E-9/H-2, Article 10-2 applies this part only on application. No application means no deduction and no entitlement. Check with your employer.
My contract ended and I went home — can I still claim? The benefit is for someone in Korea, looking for work. After departure you no longer qualify. The pension refund works the other way round — it is paid on departure; see what Korea takes out of your pay.
What about my visa running out? Status of stay is a matter of the Immigration Act, separate from the benefit. Staying on to look for work involves a change of status (D-10 and others) — we will cover it after verifying the source text.
Sources
Employment Insurance Act (고용보험법)
Art. 10-2 (application to foreigners — the "on application" proviso)
Art. 40 (conditions) · Art. 46 (60%) · Art. 49 (7 waiting days)
Art. 50 and Annex 1 (duration) · Art. 58 (exclusions)
https://www.law.go.kr/법령/고용보험법
Cap 68,100 · floor 66,048 won (2026) — figures verified 08/2026
Ministry of Employment and Labor: 1350 (multilingual)
