Housing Benefit (주거급여) for Foreign Residents in Korea: Eligibility and How to Apply

Korea's Housing Benefit (주거급여) is one of the four core public assistance payments under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act (국민기초생활보장법). Most foreign residents assume they cannot qualify because the overall Act is Korean-citizen-only. That assumption is mostly correct, but not entirely. A specific carve-out in Article 5-2 (제5조의2) of the Act makes a narrow group of foreigners eligible. If you are a marriage migrant or you are raising a Korean minor child as the primary caregiver, the carve-out is worth checking carefully.

This guide covers who qualifies, how the income test works, how much the benefit pays, and how to apply.

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Who qualifies: the Article 5-2 carve-out

The eligibility carve-out is narrow. Not all foreign residents qualify. You must meet two conditions at the same time: you must belong to one of the qualifying household categories below, AND your household income must pass the means test.

Qualifying household categories

Marriage migrants married to a Korean national. You qualify if you are a foreign national registered under the Immigration Act, currently in a legal marriage with a Korean citizen, AND one of the following applies to your household:

• You or your Korean spouse are pregnant
• You are raising a minor child who holds Korean citizenship
• You live together with your Korean spouse's Korean-national parents (in-laws)

Marriage migrants who are divorced or widowed. You still qualify if your marriage to a Korean national ended through death or divorce, AND:

• You are currently raising a Korean-national minor child as the primary caregiver, or
• You are pregnant with the deceased spouse's child

Foreign parents raising a Korean minor child. If you are a foreign national of any visa type and you are the primary caregiver of a minor child who holds Korean citizenship, you may qualify even without a current Korean spouse. The child must be a Korean national. You must be the registered primary caregiver.

Recognized refugees. Foreign nationals who have been formally granted refugee status under Korea's Refugee Act (난민법) qualify without the family relationship requirement.

What this excludes. Most foreign residents do not fit any of the categories above. English teachers (E-2 visa), skilled workers (E-7), D-2 students, F-2 long-term residents, F-4 heritage Koreans, and general permanent residents without the qualifying family connection are not eligible under Article 5-2. This is a narrowly targeted benefit, not a general housing subsidy for all foreigners.

F-6 (marriage migrant) and F-5 (permanent resident) visa holders with a Korean spouse and qualifying household relationship are the most common eligible cohort in practice.

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The income test: 48% of median

Qualifying household category alone is not enough. Your household's recognized income (소득인정액) must also be at or below 48% of Korea's standard median income (기준 중위소득) for your household size.

What is recognized income?

Your recognized income is not simply your salary. The government calculates it using:

• Wages and earned income from all household members
• Rental income, dividend income, and financial asset returns
• A government-assigned imputed value based on property ownership

If you own real estate or significant financial assets, these increase your recognized income calculation even if your monthly cash income is low. This catches some applicants who earn modest wages but hold property.

2026 income ceilings

The thresholds below are 48% of the 2026 standard median income. They are updated each January. Use these as a guide, not a final determination. Use the eligibility simulator (모의계산기) at bokjiro.go.kr to run your specific numbers (as of 2026, verify at bokjiro.go.kr).

These figures are the 2026 MOHW-published thresholds at 48% of 기준 중위소득. The means test applies to total household income, not your individual income alone. If you live with a spouse who earns more than the ceiling, the household fails the test regardless of your individual earnings.

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How much you receive

The Housing Benefit has two separate tracks depending on whether you rent or own your home.

Track 1: Rental benefit (임차급여)

For renters. The government pays a monthly subsidy up to a regional cap. Your region tier (급지) determines the cap.

• 1급지: Seoul
• 2급지: Major metropolitan cities (Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Sejong, and large city-county clusters)
• 3급지: Other cities and 도농복합지역
• 4급지: Rural counties (군)

The actual payment is whichever is lower: your actual rent or the regional cap for your household size.

2026 monthly caps for renters in Seoul (1급지):

Caps in 2급지 through 4급지 are lower. If your actual rent is ₩300,000 in a 1급지 household of one, you receive ₩300,000. If your rent is ₩500,000, you receive the ₩341,000 cap and cover the rest yourself.

These caps are set by MOLIT and updated annually. Verify current figures at molit.go.kr before applying (as of 2026, verify at molit.go.kr or myhome.go.kr).

Track 2: Homeowner repair benefit (자가가구 보수급여)

For homeowners with no mortgage, the Housing Benefit does not pay monthly rent. Instead, it provides an annual subsidy for essential housing repairs (roof, walls, heating systems, insulation). The amounts are significantly smaller than the rental benefit and are awarded on a tiered basis based on the severity of the housing condition. Most foreign residents who rent, not own, are in Track 1.

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How to apply: step by step

Step 1: Confirm your household category

Review the qualifying categories in the "Who qualifies" section above. Identify which specific condition applies to you: pregnant marriage migrant, marriage migrant raising a Korean minor child, widowed/divorced with a Korean minor child, foreign parent of a Korean minor child, or recognized refugee.

If you are unsure, call the Danuri Helpline (다누리콜센터) at 1577-1366 before visiting the office. Danuri provides free Korean welfare consultation in multiple languages including English, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Tagalog.

Step 2: Check your income

Run the eligibility simulator (모의계산기) at bokjiro.go.kr. The simulator asks for income and asset details and estimates whether your recognized income (소득인정액) falls below the 48% threshold. This is not a binding determination, but it gives you a reasonable read before you commit to the application.

Step 3: Prepare your documents

You will need all of the following:

• ARC (외국인등록증): Your address on your ARC must match your actual residence and your lease address. A mismatch is one of the most common rejection reasons.
• Lease contract (임대차계약서): The full signed lease for your current address. Jeonse (전세, lump-sum deposit) and wolse (월세, monthly rent) contracts are both accepted.
• Bank statements: Three months minimum, showing income and expenses.
• Proof of income: Pay slips, employer certificate, or tax withholding certificates covering the last three months.
• Family relationship documents (marriage migrants): Your Korean spouse's family relationship certificate (가족관계증명서) or marriage certificate (혼인관계증명서), plus their resident registration certificate (주민등록등본). If widowed or divorced, add the death certificate or divorce judgment.
• Financial disclosure consent form (금융정보등 제공동의서): Provided at the office. You sign it there to authorize the government to look up your financial accounts.
• Child's documentation (if applicable): If your qualifying condition is raising a Korean minor child, bring the child's family relationship certificate or resident registration showing you as primary caregiver.

Step 4: Visit your administrative welfare center (행정복지센터)

Go to the 행정복지센터 (administrative welfare center, also called 주민센터) for your registered address. Bring all the documents above. Submit the application form (국민기초생활보장 급여 신청서) with the housing benefit box checked.

You can also apply online at bokjiro.go.kr. The online process is primarily in Korean. If you have difficulty with written Korean, an in-person visit with a Korean-speaking companion or a Danuri interpreter is easier.

Step 5: Wait for the household investigation

After submission, a case worker conducts a household investigation. This includes:

• Verification of income and assets through financial data access (using your signed disclosure consent)
• A review of your family relationship documents
• An LH (Korea Land and Housing Corporation) housing inspector visits your unit to assess condition and verify the lease details

This process takes up to 30 days by law, extendable to 60 days. You will receive a decision letter by post to your registered address.

Step 6: LH housing inspection before first payment

If approved, LH schedules an in-person visit to inspect the housing before the first payment is issued. The inspector checks that the property is habitable and that your lease matches the information in your application. Plan for 6 to 8 weeks from application submission to first payment deposit in a typical case.

Payments go directly to your Korean bank account monthly.

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Common reasons applications fail

ARC address does not match the lease address. Your ARC must be registered at the address where you actually live. If you moved but did not update your ARC address (체류지 변경신고), the application will be rejected. Update your address with immigration before applying.

Income test based on household, not individual. If your Korean spouse or another household member earns above the threshold, the whole household fails the test. The means test looks at everyone living in the household.

Lease is informal or not registered. Verbal arrangements, informal cash-only rentals without a written contract, and lodging arrangements where you are not the named tenant on the lease can all disqualify you. The benefit requires a formal signed lease (임대차계약서) in your name.

Assuming the benefit only applies to Korean citizens. The opposite error also exists: assuming all foreigners qualify because you heard about the program. Article 5-2 carve-out is real but specific. Check your household category carefully before applying.

Confusing this with youth rent subsidy (청년 월세 지원). These are separate programs. The youth rent subsidy is generally limited to Korean citizens aged 19 to 34. Searching for "rent subsidy" in Korean can return results for both. Confirm you are looking at 주거급여 under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act.

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If your application is rejected

The rejection letter names the specific reason. Read it carefully.

Common reasons and what to do:

• Income above threshold: Your recognized income was calculated above 48% of the benchmark. Review the calculation details in the letter. If you believe assets were miscounted or income was double-counted, request a review (이의신청) within 90 days.
• Address mismatch: Update your ARC address with immigration, then reapply.
• Household status does not meet Article 5-2 conditions: This is the most direct rejection. Review whether your situation has changed or whether a different qualifying condition applies. You can reapply when circumstances change.
• Lease not in your name: Get the lease formalized with your name as tenant, then reapply.

Filing an appeal. Submit an 이의신청 (objection filing) at your administrative welfare center or the regional welfare office within 90 days of the rejection date. The review is conducted at the regional social welfare level. If the review also rejects the claim, you can escalate further to the Central Welfare Commission (중앙행정심판위원회).

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Related programs worth knowing

The Housing Benefit is one of several housing-related support programs in Korea. These are distinct and have separate applications.

LH public rental housing (LH 공공임대주택). LH operates several public rental programs including permanent public rental (영구임대), national rental (국민임대), and happiness housing (행복주택). Some programs accept foreign residents under certain conditions. Availability is very limited; applicants go on waiting lists that can take years. See lh.or.kr for current eligibility and application windows.

Multicultural family housing support (다문화가족 주거 지원). Some local government offices (시청, 군청) run smaller housing subsidy or deposit-loan programs specifically for multicultural families. These are not nationally uniform. Check with your local 다문화가족지원센터 or the Danuri Helpline (1577-1366) for programs available in your area.

Monthly rent tax credit (월세 세액공제). A separate benefit from Housing Benefit. If you pay monthly rent (wolse) and earn under a certain income threshold, you can deduct up to a portion of your annual rent from your tax liability. This is a tax credit, not a cash payment, and is claimed during year-end tax settlement. See the Korea foreign resident tax guide for details.

Youth rent subsidy (청년 월세 지원). As noted above: this is a separate program for Koreans aged 19 to 34. Not generally available to foreign residents. Do not apply for this expecting Housing Benefit-level support.

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What to do next

If you think you might qualify, take these steps:

1. Confirm your household category against the Article 5-2 list above. If you are not a marriage migrant, a foreign parent of a Korean minor child, or a recognized refugee, stop here.
2. Run the income simulator at bokjiro.go.kr using your actual income and assets.
3. Call Danuri (1577-1366) if you want to confirm your situation before visiting the office. They provide welfare guidance in multiple languages.
4. Gather your documents: ARC, lease, bank statements, income proof, and family relationship documents.
5. Visit your local administrative welfare center (행정복지센터) and submit the application.
6. Note the 30-day review period. Keep your phone and registered-address mailbox accessible.

If you are close to the income threshold, the Danuri Helpline can walk through the recognized income calculation with you before you apply. It is worth a call.

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Frequently asked questions

Can foreigners receive Korea's Housing Benefit? Yes, but only a narrow group. The National Basic Livelihood Security Act (국민기초생활보장법) is normally Korean-citizen-only. However, Article 5-2 (제5조의2) creates a specific carve-out for foreigners registered under the Immigration Act who have a qualifying family relationship with a Korean national. The main categories are: marriage migrants currently married to a Korean national or raising a Korean minor child; and foreign parents who are the primary caregiver of a Korean minor child. Recognized refugees under the Refugee Act also qualify. Most other foreign residents do not qualify.

My Korean spouse and I are separated but not divorced. Do I still qualify? Possibly. The statute requires that you are currently in a legal marriage with a Korean national OR are raising a Korean-national minor child. If you are separated but legally still married and you share a household with a Korean minor child, you may meet the second condition. This is worth discussing directly with your local administrative welfare center (행정복지센터). Bring your family relationship certificate (가족관계증명서) and the child's resident registration.

What is the income limit for the Housing Benefit in 2026? Your recognized income (소득인정액) must be at or below 48% of Korea's standard median income (기준 중위소득) for your household size. In 2026 the approximate monthly ceilings are ₩1,048,000 for a 1-person household, ₩1,729,000 for a 2-person household, and ₩2,209,000 for a 3-person household. These figures are updated every January. Your recognized income is not your raw salary and includes asset values. Use the eligibility simulator at bokjiro.go.kr for your specific numbers (as of 2026, verify at bokjiro.go.kr).

How much will I actually receive each month? The amount depends on your region tier and household size, capped at your actual rent. In 2026 the monthly caps for Seoul (1급지) renters are approximately ₩341,000 for a 1-person household and ₩414,000 for a 2-person household. Caps are lower outside Seoul. If your actual rent is below the cap, you receive the actual rent amount. Verify current caps at molit.go.kr (as of 2026, verify at molit.go.kr).

What documents do I need to apply? You need your ARC, your lease contract, three months of bank statements, income proof, and family relationship documents (for marriage migrants: your Korean spouse's 가족관계증명서 and 주민등록등본; if widowed or divorced: the relevant legal document). You also sign a financial disclosure consent form at the office. The ARC address must match the lease address exactly.

How long does the application take? The law allows up to 30 days for a decision, extendable to 60 days. After approval, LH conducts an in-person housing inspection before the first payment. Budget 6 to 8 weeks from application to first payment in a typical case.

My application was rejected. Can I appeal? Yes. You can request a formal review (이의신청) within 90 days of the rejection notice. Submit at your administrative welfare center or the regional welfare office. The rejection letter states the specific reason. Fix the stated issue if you can before appealing. You can also reapply at any time if your circumstances change.

Is the Housing Benefit different from the youth rent subsidy (청년 월세 지원)? Yes, these are completely separate programs. The Housing Benefit (주거급여) is a permanent income-based subsidy available to qualifying low-income households of any age. The youth rent subsidy is a time-limited program for Koreans aged 19 to 34 and is generally not available to foreign residents. Do not confuse the two when researching your options.

@misc{seoulstart-korea-housing-benefit-foreign-residents-guide,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{Housing Benefit (주거급여) for Foreign Residents in Korea: Eligibility and How to Apply}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/korea-housing-benefit-foreign-residents-guide},
  note = {Last updated May 27, 2026}
}