Quitting a Job in Korea as a Foreigner: Notice, Final Pay and Your Visa

Giving notice and leaving cleanly

Korea does not set a single statutory resignation-notice length for workers who quit, but the practical norm is giving the employer notice a few weeks ahead, and your contract or company rules usually set the expectation. Doing it cleanly — a written resignation, confirming your final working day — avoids disputes over final pay.

On your final day the employer settles:

• Final wages — up to the last working day
• Unused annual leave — paid out for leave not taken
• Severance pay, if you qualify

If there is a dispute about final pay or severance, the Ministry of Employment and Labor local office handles wage complaints — the same route as in our working hours guide.

Severance pay

Any worker in Korea with one year of continuous service averaging 15+ hours a week is entitled to severance pay (toejikgeum, 퇴직금) regardless of whether they resigned or were dismissed — it is a statutory right, not a gift. The amount is at least 30 days of your average daily wage per year of service, and it must be paid within 14 days of your last working day.

The full rules — how the average wage is calculated, the departure insurance that covers many foreign workers, and what happens if payment is late — are in our severance pay guide. Settle this figure before you leave, not after.

What happens to your visa

Quitting does not automatically cancel your status, but it does affect it. What you need to do depends on your plan:

• Finding a new employer — on an employment-based visa you typically need to transfer to a new job within the allowed period; the exact window depends on your category. A new employer files the change with the immigration service.
• Changing to another status — if you are switching to a different activity, you apply for a status change at the immigration office.
• Leaving Korea — if you are not staying, your employer reports the departure and you settle your affairs before going: severance, any departure insurance, the pension refund if you qualify, and your re-entry situation.

Because the allowed transfer period and the reporting duties are set by your visa category, confirm the current rule with the immigration service and your employer — see our immigration office guide for appointments.

Practical checklist

• Put the resignation in writing and confirm the final working day.
• Ask for a written breakdown of final pay, unused leave and severance.
• Calculate your severance against the statutory minimum before accepting any figure.
• Check the visa transfer or status-change window for your category and start it promptly.
• If you are leaving the country, settle severance, insurance and pension records before you go.

Note — notice norms, visa transfer windows and reporting duties change by category. Confirm the current rules with the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Immigration Service before acting.