Unemployment Benefit Calculator
Estimate the Korean job seeker allowance from your monthly average wage and insured years. We apply 60% of average daily wage within statutory caps and floors.
Average gross monthly pay over the 3 months before separation.
Total insured years across employers (within 18 months prior to separation). Whole numbers, e.g. 3.
If applicable, payment days increase by 30–60 days depending on insured years.
Estimated total benefit
11,554,560KRW
Daily benefit: 64,192 KRW × 180 days
- Average daily wage
- 100,000KRW
- 60% of average daily wage
- 60,000KRW60%
- Payment days
- 180 days3 to under 5 years insured
- Daily floor (KRW 64,192) applied
- Payment days: 180 (3–5 yrs)
What is Korea's unemployment benefit?
Korea's job seeker allowance is paid to employment-insurance-covered workers after involuntary separation while they actively seek re-employment. The daily payment is 60% of the pre-separation average wage, bounded by statutory daily caps and floors. Total payment days range from 120 to 270 depending on insured years and age.
Daily cap and floor (2026 reference)
- Daily cap
- 66,000 KRW
- Daily floor
- 64,192 KRW
Minimum hourly wage × 80% × 8 hours
Payment days (2026)
| Insured years | Under 50 (days) | 50+ / disabled (days) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 year insured | 120 | 120 |
| 1 to under 3 years insured | 150 | 180 |
| 3 to under 5 years insured | 180 | 210 |
| 5 to under 10 years insured | 210 | 240 |
| 10 years or more insured | 240 | 270 |
Frequently asked questions
- Who qualifies for unemployment benefit?
- You generally need at least 180 cumulative insured days within the 18 months before separation, must have separated involuntarily, and must actively seek re-employment. Voluntary resignation is excluded unless an exception applies (e.g. unpaid wages, unreasonable commute).
- Why might my actual payment differ from this estimate?
- This calculator divides monthly average wage by 30 to derive the daily wage. The Employment Center uses the wage total over the 3 months before separation divided by the actual day count, which can differ slightly. Daily caps and floors are also revised yearly by the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
- What is the early re-employment allowance?
- If you find stable work and stay employed for 12+ months while at least half of your remaining payment days are still left, you can claim 50% of the remaining benefit as an early re-employment allowance. This calculator does not include it.
- Is there a deadline to claim?
- You must claim within 12 months from the day after separation. Any payment days you have not used within that window are forfeited, so apply for eligibility recognition at your local Employment Center as early as possible.
For reference only. Daily caps and floors change annually by ministry notice; eligibility, actual average wage, and exact payment days are determined by the local Employment Center. Voluntary separation, dismissal grounds, and unpaid-wage exceptions are not modeled here.