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 do not know when to check it. This guide covers what it is, what you pay, when payment can be requested, and what to confirm before leaving Korea.

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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.

HRD Korea lists Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance (삼성화재해상보험) as the contact point for checking departure insurance and return home insurance enrollment and payments. HRD Korea (한국산업인력공단) manages the broader EPS program records.

The premium is paid from your own wages, within 3 months of your labor contract's effective date. You can pay it as a lump sum or in up to 3 installments. 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 book 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: lump sum or up to 3 installments, within 3 months of the contract effective date
• Amount: ₩400,000 to ₩600,000 fixed by nationality (see below)
• Purpose: return flight cost or cash equivalent
• Contact point: Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance (삼성화재), as listed by HRD Korea

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
• Contact point: Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance (삼성화재), as listed by HRD Korea

HRD Korea lists 1600-0266 as the contact number for checking departure insurance and return home insurance enrollment and payments. Claiming one policy does not close the other. 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 Ministry of Employment and Labor regulation and reviewed periodically. Verify the current figures with the official EPS insurance contact point before departure.

The premium is paid within 3 months of your labor contract's effective date, as a lump sum or in up to 3 installments. 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.

Easy Law describes return home insurance as a lump-sum payment that can be requested when a payment reason occurs. In practice, payment method and account requirements can change with EPS insurance procedures, so confirm the current method before you leave.

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How to claim

MOEL announced return home insurance and casualty insurance process changes effective 16 December 2024. Because the operational channel can depend on your contract timing, account registration, and current EPS insurance records, confirm the current claim method before you leave.

Start with the official EPS insurance contact number listed by HRD Korea: 1600-0266. If you are also checking whether your employer enrolled you in departure insurance, use the same contact point.

Documents to have ready

• Passport
• Alien registration card (외국인등록증), or departure record if ARC already cancelled
• Proof that a payment reason has occurred or will occur, such as departure or visa-status change
• Bank account details, if the current process requires a 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.

Contact the official EPS insurance contact point. Have your passport, EPS employment record, and 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 should be recoverable through the EPS insurance contact process. Call the official EPS insurance contact point and have your passport number and EPS employment details ready.

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. HRD Korea lists the same contact number for checking departure insurance and return home insurance enrollment and payments, but claiming one does not close the other. If you already checked departure insurance, separately ask about return home insurance.

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.

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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 the official EPS insurance contact point as soon as you know your departure date. Checking 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. Ask the official EPS insurance contact point which claim process applies to your employment record.
3. Confirm whether a bank account is registered or required for payment.
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, typically ₩400,000 to ₩600,000 depending on your nationality. Departure insurance (출국만기보험) is paid by your employer at 8.3% of monthly ordinary wages, so it accumulates into a much larger amount over time. HRD Korea lists the same insurance contact point for checking both policies. Do not assume checking one means you have checked 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 with the official EPS insurance contact point 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?

MOEL announced return home insurance and casualty insurance process changes effective 16 December 2024. Because the claim channel depends on your employment record and current EPS insurance process, confirm your claim method with the official EPS insurance contact point before you leave Korea.

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

Yes, if the payment reason arose within the last 3 years. After 3 years, unclaimed funds transfer to HRD Korea as dormant insurance and the claim window closes permanently. Contact the official EPS insurance contact point and have your passport and EPS employment details ready.

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.

Can I take cash instead of a plane ticket?

The law describes a lump-sum payment for return costs when a payment reason occurs. Confirm the current payment method and account requirements with the official EPS insurance contact point before departure.

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.

@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 June 5, 2026}
}