EPS Return Home Insurance (귀국비용보험) for Migrant Workers in Korea

When you work in Korea on an E-9 or H-2 visa, a portion of your wages goes toward two separate insurance policies at the start of your employment. One is paid by your employer throughout your contract. The other is paid by you, upfront, from your own wages. That second policy is return home insurance (귀국비용보험), and it funds your flight home when you leave Korea. You can also take it as a cash payout instead of using it for a ticket.

Most workers know it exists but assume it happens automatically. For contracts that started before 16 December 2024, it does not. As of June 2025, ₩7.4 billion sat unclaimed across 16,874 cases because workers left Korea without filing. This guide walks through what it is, what you will receive, and exactly how to claim it.

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What return home insurance is

Return home insurance (귀국비용보험) is a mandatory insurance policy under Korea's Foreign Workers Employment Act (외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률). The law requires every E-9 and H-2 worker to hold this policy from the start of employment.

The policy is administered by Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance (삼성화재해상보험), the provider designated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (고용노동부). HRD Korea (한국산업인력공단) manages the broader EPS enrollment records.

The premium is a one-time payment, typically within 80 days of arriving in Korea. It comes out of your own wages. Your employer does not pay it for you.

At departure, the policy pays out a fixed amount. You can use it to cover your return flight, or you can take the cash and buy your own ticket separately.

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How it differs from departure insurance

This is the most important distinction in the guide. Workers frequently confuse the two policies, claim one, and leave the other behind.

Return home insurance (귀국비용보험)

• Paid by: the worker, from your own wages
• When: one-time premium within 80 days of arrival
• Amount: ₩400,000 to ₩600,000 fixed by nationality (see below)
• Purpose: return flight cost or cash equivalent
• Provider: Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance

Departure insurance (출국만기보험)

• Paid by: the employer, throughout your employment
• When: 8.3% of monthly wage, every month
• Amount: accumulates over time; can reach ₩4 million to ₩8 million or more for a 4-year contract
• Purpose: functions like severance pay for EPS workers
• Provider: DB Insurance (DBL 손해보험), also under the EPS umbrella

Both are claimable at departure. Both require separate claims (unless your return home insurance falls under the post-December 2024 auto-pay rule). Do not assume claiming one means you have claimed both. See our severance pay guide for how departure insurance fits into your overall departure finances.

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Who pays and how much

The premium is fixed by your home country, based on the approximate cost of a return flight from Korea:

These amounts are set by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and reviewed periodically. Verify the current figures at the Samsung Fire foreign worker portal before departure (as of 2025: foreign-worker.sfmi.co.kr/contents/02).

The premium is paid once, within 80 days of your first day of work in Korea. Your employer typically arranges the enrollment paperwork. The payment comes out of your wages.

If you worked multiple contracts in Korea (re-entry after a break, second EPS employment), a separate premium applies to each employment period with a new contract start date.

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What the payout covers

The policy is designed to cover the cost of a one-way return flight from Korea to your home country.

At departure, you have two options:

1. Use it to purchase a ticket. Samsung Fire or the designated airport partner can arrange the ticket. This is the original intent of the policy.

2. Take the cash. Receive the fixed payout in cash or via bank transfer and book your own flight separately. Many workers find this more practical because they may book flights in advance, get better prices independently, or want the flexibility to travel via other routes.

Both options produce the same payout amount. The choice is yours.

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How to claim

The process depends on when your contract started.

Contracts starting 16 December 2024 or later: automatic payout

If your contract started on or after 16 December 2024 and you registered an overseas bank account at the time of enrollment, the payout is sent automatically to that account when you:

• Depart Korea, or
• Change visa status

You do not need to file a claim. Confirm that your overseas bank account is correctly registered before you leave by logging into the EPS portal at eps.hrdkorea.or.kr or contacting Samsung Fire.

If you did not register an overseas account at enrollment, the automatic system cannot complete the transfer. Contact Samsung Fire before you leave: 1600-0266 inside Korea, or +82-2-2261-8400 from overseas.

Contracts starting before 16 December 2024: you must file

Option 1: File through the EPS 전용보험 app

Download the EPS 전용보험 app. Log in with your EPS ID. Select the return home insurance (귀국비용보험) policy. Follow the claim steps. Payout is typically within 2-3 weeks to your registered account.

Option 2: File through the Samsung Fire foreign worker portal

Go to foreign-worker.sfmi.co.kr. Log in and navigate to the return home insurance section. Submit the claim with the required documents (see below). Payout timeline is similar.

Option 3: Claim at the airport currency exchange counter on departure day

Some designated currency exchange desks at Incheon International Airport process same-day claims at departure. You receive the payout in Korean won or your home currency at the desk. Ask Samsung Fire in advance which counters are active for your departure date.

Documents needed for a manual claim

• Passport
• Alien registration card (외국인등록증), or departure record if ARC already cancelled
• Proof of departure (flight details or departure stamp)
• Home-country bank account details (for wire transfer)

Claiming from abroad after departure

If you have already left Korea and did not claim, you can still file from your home country as long as it is within 3 years of your departure date.

Call Samsung Fire at +82-2-2261-8400 or contact them through the foreign worker portal. Have your passport, EPS employment record, and home-country bank details ready.

After 3 years, the funds move to HRD Korea as dormant insurance (휴면보험) and the claim window closes permanently.

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Common problems and how to avoid them

You cannot find your policy paperwork

Your enrollment record is recoverable. Log into the EPS portal at eps.hrdkorea.or.kr, or call HRD Korea or Samsung Fire. Your policy is linked to your passport number and EPS ID, not just a physical document.

Your employer says they paid the insurance for you

Return home insurance is always worker-funded. The employer handles enrollment paperwork, but the premium comes from your wages. Check your pay slips for the deduction. If you cannot find it, call Samsung Fire to confirm enrollment status before you assume you are covered.

You think claiming departure insurance covered everything

No. Departure insurance (출국만기보험) and return home insurance (귀국비용보험) are separate products with separate claim processes. Claiming one does not close the other. If you already filed for departure insurance, check your Samsung Fire account separately for the return home insurance policy.

Your employer never enrolled you

Enrollment is required by law. If you were never enrolled, file a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Call the multilingual helpline 1350 (free, available in English, Vietnamese, Filipino, Bahasa Indonesia, Thai, Khmer, Mongolian, Sinhala, and others). You can also file online at minwon.moel.go.kr. The Ministry can investigate and require the employer to remedy the situation.

You left Korea more than 3 years ago

The claim window is closed. Funds transferred to HRD Korea as dormant insurance cannot be recovered after the 3-year statute of limitations expires. This is the reason ₩7.4 billion sat unclaimed as of June 2025: workers either did not know to claim, or left it too long.

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Early contract termination

If your employment ends before the original contract end date, whether because your employer terminates you or you return home early for personal reasons, the return home insurance policy is still claimable.

There is no minimum service period. The premium is refundable as a cash payout on any qualifying departure, even if you worked only a few months.

If the contract was terminated by the employer and you are leaving earlier than planned, contact Samsung Fire as soon as you know your departure date. Filing early is better than waiting.

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Before you leave Korea: a short checklist

1. Check whether your contract started before or after 16 December 2024.
2. If after: confirm your overseas bank account is registered in the EPS system.
3. If before: decide whether to file via app, web portal, or airport counter.
4. Confirm you have a separate claim pending for departure insurance (출국만기보험), if applicable.
5. Keep your passport, ARC, and departure record available for the claim.
6. Note the 3-year deadline from your departure date.

For the full picture of every payment available to departing workers, including departure insurance, pension refund, final tax settlement, and severance, see our leaving Korea guide.

For free multilingual support, call 1350 (Ministry of Employment and Labor helpline, free from any Korean phone, available in English, Vietnamese, Filipino, Indonesian, Thai, and other languages).

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FAQ

What is the difference between return home insurance and departure insurance?

They are two separate policies with opposite funding. Return home insurance (귀국비용보험) is paid from your own wages as a one-time premium, typically ₩400,000 to ₩600,000 depending on your nationality. Departure insurance (출국만기보험) is paid entirely by your employer at 8.3% of your monthly wage throughout your employment, so it accumulates into a much larger amount over time. Both are claimable when you leave Korea. Do not assume claiming one means you have claimed both.

How much will I receive from return home insurance?

The fixed amount depends on your nationality: ₩400,000 for workers from China, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, or Vietnam; ₩500,000 for Mongolia and most other countries; ₩600,000 for Sri Lanka. The amount does not change based on how long you worked in Korea. Verify current figures at the Samsung Fire foreign worker portal before you leave, as amounts may be revised by Ministry regulation.

Do I get the money automatically when I leave, or do I have to file a claim?

It depends on when your contract started. If your contract started on or after 16 December 2024 and you registered an overseas bank account at enrollment, the payout is sent automatically to that account when you depart Korea or change visa status. No claim is needed. If your contract started before 16 December 2024, you must file a claim through the EPS 전용보험 app, the Samsung Fire foreign worker portal, or at the airport currency exchange counter on departure day.

I already left Korea without claiming. Can I still get the money?

Yes, if you left within the last 3 years. Contact Samsung Fire at +82-2-2261-8400 from overseas, or file through the foreign worker portal at foreign-worker.sfmi.co.kr. After 3 years from your departure date, the funds transfer to HRD Korea as dormant insurance and the claim window closes permanently.

My employer said they paid return home insurance for me. Is that correct?

No. Return home insurance is funded entirely by the worker. The employer arranges enrollment, and the premium is deducted from your wages, but the source is your own money. The employer pays a different policy: departure insurance (출국만기보험). Check your pay slips for the deduction line to confirm enrollment and payment.

What if my employer never enrolled me in return home insurance?

Enrollment is legally required under the Foreign Workers Employment Act (외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률). Contact the Ministry of Employment and Labor through the multilingual helpline 1350. You can also file a complaint online at minwon.moel.go.kr. Non-enrollment is a violation by the employer, and the Ministry can investigate and require a remedy.

Can I take cash instead of a plane ticket?

Yes. The policy is designed to cover return flight costs, but you can take the payout as cash and book your own flight separately. Many workers find this more practical. Both options pay the same fixed amount.

Does this apply to H-2 visa holders as well as E-9?

Yes. Both E-9 and H-2 workers are covered by the EPS insurance framework, including the return home insurance requirement. The same premium amounts and claim process apply.

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What's changed

• 2026-05-27: Guide first published. Covers the worker-funded return home insurance (귀국비용보험) policy, distinction from employer-funded departure insurance (출국만기보험), premium amounts by nationality, the 16 December 2024 auto-pay rule for new contracts, step-by-step claim process, common problems, and early termination.

@misc{seoulstart-eps-return-home-insurance-guide,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{EPS Return Home Insurance (귀국비용보험) for Migrant Workers in Korea}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/eps-return-home-insurance-guide},
  note = {Last updated May 27, 2026}
}