Unemployment benefit requirements

Unemployment benefit supports you while you look for new work. The requirements are strict, so learn them in advance.

Three key requirements

1. Employment insurance period — you must have been enrolled for a qualifying period before leaving.
2. Involuntary separation — leaving for reasons on the company's side (redundancy, contract expiry, being asked to resign). Resigning voluntarily is excluded in principle, but justified reasons such as unpaid wages or harassment can be recognised.
3. Efforts to find work — you must job hunt and report it to keep receiving payment.

Steps

1. Check the separation confirmation was filed by the company with the employment centre.
2. Check your eligibility on the employment insurance website.
3. Apply at your local employment centre.
4. Attend the briefing and have your unemployment recognised.
5. Report your job-seeking activity each cycle.
6. Check the payments.

What you need

• Passport and Alien Registration Card
• The separation confirmation (filed by the company)
• A bank account in your name
• Evidence of job-seeking activity

Where to go

• Employment insurance www.ei.go.kr · 1350
• Your local employment centre
• Your local support centre for foreign workers

Questions people ask

Can foreign residents receive it? Yes if enrolled in employment insurance and meeting the requirements. It varies by visa status — check with 1350.

The company won't file the separation confirmation. They have a duty to. Tell the employment centre and they will request it.

I quit because of unpaid wages. That can be recognised as a justified reason for leaving. Prepare evidence of the non-payment and get advice.

Can I work part time while receiving it? Any income must be reported. Concealing it is benefit fraud, with recovery and penalties.

Take care

Benefit fraud means repaying several times what you received, plus penalties. Always report if you start working. A broker offering to "get you the benefit" is a fraud.

Related

employment-insurance · four-major-insurances · unpaid-wages-report

Source

Ministry of Employment and Labor www.ei.go.kr / As of 2026-08