EPS Departure Insurance (출국만기보험) for Migrant Workers Leaving Korea

Every E-9 worker in Korea has a departure insurance policy in their name. Your employer has been contributing 8.3% of your monthly wage into it since your first month. When you leave Korea after at least 1 year of work, that money comes back to you as a lump-sum payout. Most workers leave without claiming it.

This guide explains what the money is, how much you have, and exactly how to get it.

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What Departure Insurance (출국만기보험) is

Departure Insurance (출국만기보험) is not optional and it is not a benefit your employer chose to offer. It is a legal obligation under Article 13 of the Foreign Workers Employment Act (외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률 제13조). Every employer who hires an E-9 worker must pay 8.3% of that worker's monthly ordinary wage (통상임금) into an insurance policy designated for that worker.

The policy is held with Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance (삼성화재해상보험), the insurer designated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (고용노동부) under the EPS program. HRD Korea (한국산업인력공단) manages the program through the EPS portal (eps.hrdkorea.or.kr).

The 8.3% rate equals 1/12 of annual wages. In practical terms, after each year of work, your departure insurance account has grown by roughly one month of your ordinary wage. That amount grows with every additional month, and it earns interest while it sits in the policy.

This is separate from severance pay (퇴직금) and from the National Pension lump-sum refund (반환일시금). All three can apply to the same worker at departure. See the section below on what not to confuse.

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Who qualifies

You qualify for the payout if:

• You work in Korea on an E-9 visa (non-professional employment) or H-2 visa (visit-employment)
• You have completed at least 1 year of continuous employment at the same workplace

The 1-year rule applies to the same workplace, not just to Korea overall. If you transferred to a new employer under the EPS reassignment rules, the clock restarts at the new employer unless your total accumulated time across allowed transfers meets the threshold.

If you leave the workplace before 1 year: the employer receives the policy proceeds, not you. This is stated explicitly in the law and is one of the most financially consequential rules in the entire EPS system. If you are at 11 months and considering leaving early, finishing that final month means the difference between receiving nothing and receiving a year's worth of accumulated insurance.

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How much you receive

The basic calculation is:

8.3% x monthly ordinary wage (통상임금) x months of service, plus accrued interest

Ordinary wage (통상임금) is your regular base salary plus fixed allowances. It does not include overtime pay or irregular bonuses.

Worked example

A worker earning ₩2.5M per month in ordinary wage:

The actual payout is slightly higher because the policy earns interest over the contribution period. The average payout across all claimants in 2024 was approximately ₩3.8M.

Your precise balance is visible at any time through the EPS 전용보험 app or the Samsung Fire foreign worker portal.

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What this is NOT: three programs many workers confuse

E-9 workers leaving Korea may be eligible for three separate payouts. Each is funded differently, has its own rules, and requires its own claim.

You can receive all three. Receiving one does not reduce the others. File each claim separately through its own process.

For severance pay mechanics, see our severance pay guide. For National Pension refunds, see our leaving Korea guide.

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When you can claim

You can claim departure insurance when one of these conditions is met:

• You have departed Korea (passport exit stamp or confirmed departure record)
• You are on your last working day and transitioning out of Korea

You cannot claim while you are still inside Korea on a valid E-9 visa and still employed. The trigger is departure or employment end.

File at least 7 days before your departure date. If your claim is filed and processed in time, you can collect the payout in foreign currency at the Samsung Fire counter in the Incheon Airport departure hall on the day you leave. If you miss that window or prefer a bank transfer, the funds are wired to your designated account within 2-3 weeks after the claim is processed.

The December 2024 auto-payment rule

From 16 December 2024, workers whose EPS employment contract started on or after that date receive automatic payment: the payout is processed without a manual claim when departure is recorded.

If your EPS employment started before 16 December 2024, you must claim manually, even if you are departing today. When in doubt, submit a claim through the app or portal. Filing a manual claim for an auto-payment eligible worker does not cause problems; failing to claim when manual filing is required means you get nothing until you do.

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How to claim: step by step

Step 1: Check your balance and insurance details

Download the EPS 전용보험 app (available on iOS and Android). The app supports 19 languages including Vietnamese, Filipino, Indonesian, Thai, Khmer, Burmese, Nepali, and English. Log in with your registration number.

The app shows your current balance, your employer's contribution history, and the designated insurer for your policy.

You can also check at the Samsung Fire foreign worker portal: foreign-worker.sfmi.co.kr

If you cannot access either, call the EPS multilingual helpline at 1577-0177 or 1644-0644 to locate your policy.

Step 2: Gather your documents

You need:

• Passport (with departure record, or planned departure date for pre-departure claims)
• Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증), or the ARC cancellation receipt if already surrendered
• Employment end certificate (근로계약 종료 확인서) from your employer
• Pay stubs or wage statements showing your contribution base (at minimum, your most recent 3 months)
• Bank account information for the payout: a Korean bank account, or a foreign bank account in your home country

Step 3: Submit the claim

Three ways to file:

1. EPS 전용보험 app (fastest, supports 19 languages): complete the claim form inside the app and upload document photos
2. Samsung Fire foreign worker portal (foreign-worker.sfmi.co.kr): complete the online form and upload scanned documents
3. Fax or mail: download the claim form from the portal, fill it out, and fax or mail it with supporting documents to Samsung Fire

If you are filing before departure and want airport collection, choose the Incheon Airport counter option. If filing after departure from abroad, choose bank transfer.

Step 4: Receive payment

If filing before departure with airport collection: collect at the Samsung Fire counter in the Incheon Airport departure hall on your flight day.

If requesting a bank transfer: payout arrives within 2-3 weeks after Samsung Fire processes the claim. Confirm the destination account carefully before submitting.

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Common problems and how to avoid them

1. Leaving before 1 year

The most expensive mistake. If you resign or your contract ends before 12 months at the same workplace, you lose the payout. The employer receives the funds instead.

If your employment is ending involuntarily (company closure, employer misconduct), consult the Ministry of Employment and Labor helpline at 1350 before you leave. Forced termination before 1 year may not remove your entitlement in every case.

2. Employer did not pay contributions

This is illegal. Check your contribution history in the EPS 전용보험 app as early as possible, not just at departure. If contributions are missing, file a complaint at minwon.moel.go.kr or call 1350. The Ministry can investigate and recover the unpaid amount. Keep all pay stubs as evidence of your wage, which establishes the correct contribution amount.

3. Wrong insurer

Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance (삼성화재해상보험) is the designated insurer for most EPS departure insurance policies. Do not confuse this with Samsung Life Insurance (삼성생명), which handles different products. Confirm your insurer through the EPS portal or the app before filing.

4. Claiming too early

You cannot claim while still employed in Korea on an active E-9 visa. Wait until employment ends or departure is confirmed. Filing before the trigger event will be rejected.

5. Missing the 3-year window

If you do not claim within 3 years of departure, the funds transfer to HRD Korea as dormant insurance (휴면보험금). You can still recover them by contacting HRD Korea directly, but the process takes longer. Set a reminder when you leave.

6. Confusing departure insurance with severance

Some workers claim only one and assume they have claimed everything. Departure insurance and severance pay require separate filings through separate channels. If you qualify for both, file both.

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Claiming from abroad after you have already left Korea

You have 3 years from your departure date to file a departure insurance claim. You do not need to return to Korea.

Options from abroad:

• EPS 전용보험 app: file entirely through the app with document uploads
• Samsung Fire foreign worker portal: foreign-worker.sfmi.co.kr, online form submission
• Multilingual helpline: call 1577-0177 or 1644-0644 for guidance in your language
• Mail: send completed claim form and document copies to Samsung Fire (address on the portal)
• Representative: a trusted person in Korea can file on your behalf with a signed authorization letter

For bank transfer payouts abroad, provide your home-country bank account details, including SWIFT/BIC code and IBAN or account number in the required format. Samsung Fire will wire the funds in Korean won or convert to your local currency depending on the option selected.

If more than 3 years have passed since your departure, contact HRD Korea directly at eps.hrdkorea.or.kr or through the multilingual EPS helpline. Dormant insurance (휴면보험금) claims go to HRD Korea, not Samsung Fire.

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Coordinate departure insurance with your other departure payments

If you are an E-9 worker leaving Korea, departure insurance is one part of a larger financial settlement. The typical sequence:

1. Final working day: final wage paid, employment end certificate issued
2. Within 14 days: severance pay (퇴직금) paid by employer
3. Before or on departure day: file departure insurance claim (at least 7 days before flight if you want airport collection)
4. After departure: National Pension lump-sum refund claim (if eligible by home country)
5. Within 3 years of departure: departure insurance payout collected (if not already done)

Keep your Korean bank account open for at least 2-3 months after departure. Severance, the pension refund, and final wage settlements can all arrive after you have physically left.

See our leaving Korea guide for the full departure checklist and sequencing rules.

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Getting help

EPS multilingual helpline: 1577-0177 or 1644-0644 Supports Vietnamese, Filipino, Indonesian, Thai, Khmer, Burmese, Nepali, English, and other EPS corridor languages.

Ministry of Employment and Labor helpline: 1350 Free consultation in English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indonesian, Filipino, Russian, Thai, and Khmer. Use this for employer non-payment complaints or disputes.

Samsung Fire foreign worker portal: foreign-worker.sfmi.co.kr

EPS portal: eps.hrdkorea.or.kr

Ministry of Employment and Labor online complaint filing: minwon.moel.go.kr

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Frequently asked questions

What is EPS Departure Insurance (출국만기보험)?

It is a lump-sum insurance payout that your employer has been paying into on your behalf throughout your employment in Korea. Under Article 13 of the Foreign Workers Employment Act, every employer of an E-9 worker must contribute 8.3% of your monthly ordinary wage to a policy held with Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance. When you leave Korea after at least 1 year of continuous employment at the same workplace, you receive the full accumulated amount plus interest.

Am I eligible if I worked for less than 1 year?

No. If you leave the workplace before completing 1 continuous year at the same company, the employer receives the policy proceeds, not you. If you are close to the 1-year mark, completing that final month makes a significant financial difference.

Is Departure Insurance the same as severance pay (퇴직금)?

No. They are two completely separate programs with separate legal bases and separate claim processes. Departure Insurance (출국만기보험) is funded at 8.3% of ordinary wage under the Foreign Workers Employment Act. Severance pay (퇴직금) is calculated at 30 days of average wage per year of service under the Employee Retirement Benefit Security Act. A qualifying E-9 worker is entitled to both.

Do I have to claim manually, or does it pay automatically?

It depends on when your EPS employment began. If your EPS contract started on or after 16 December 2024, the payout is automatic. If your employment began before that date, you must file a claim manually even if departing now. When in doubt, file a claim to be certain.

Can I claim after I have already left Korea?

Yes. You have 3 years from your departure to claim. Use the EPS 전용보험 app, the Samsung Fire portal, or call 1577-0177 from abroad. After 3 years, the funds transfer to HRD Korea as dormant insurance (휴면보험금), but you can still recover them by contacting HRD Korea directly.

What if my employer never paid into the insurance?

Failing to pay departure insurance contributions is illegal. File a complaint at minwon.moel.go.kr or call 1350. The Ministry of Employment and Labor can investigate and order the employer to pay. Keep all pay stubs as evidence.

How do I check my departure insurance balance?

Download the EPS 전용보험 app (iOS and Android, 19 languages). Log in with your registration number to see your current balance and contribution history. You can also check at the Samsung Fire foreign worker portal at foreign-worker.sfmi.co.kr.

Do H-2 visa holders also qualify?

Yes. The Foreign Workers Employment Act covers both E-9 and H-2 workers. The 1-year continuous employment rule and the 8.3% contribution rate apply to both visa types. The claim process is the same.

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What has changed

• 2026-05-27: Guide first published covering the 8.3% employer contribution rate, 1-year eligibility threshold, the December 2024 auto-payment rule, manual claim steps via EPS app and Samsung Fire portal, employer non-payment recourse, and claiming from abroad.

@misc{seoulstart-eps-departure-insurance-guide,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{EPS Departure Insurance (출국만기보험) for Migrant Workers Leaving Korea}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/eps-departure-insurance-guide},
  note = {Last updated May 27, 2026}
}