Korea Severance Pay Calculator (퇴직금)

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Korea Severance Pay Calculator (퇴직금)

Estimate your legally required severance pay based on your average wage and length of service.

KRW
Base pay plus regularly paid allowances for the 3 months right before your last day. Don’t include severance pay itself, or one-off bonuses not tied to that period.
Estimated severance pay
₩0
Total days employed0 days
Calendar days in your last 3 months0 days
Average daily wage₩0
Severance pay (avg. daily wage × 30 × years employed)₩0
Formula: average daily wage × 30 days × (total days employed ÷ 365). Average daily wage is your total wages over the last 3 months of employment ÷ the number of calendar days in that period. Severance pay is legally required in Korea for anyone employed 1+ continuous year while averaging 15+ hours a week — this applies to foreign workers on any visa the same as Korean nationals, including E-9, E-7, H-2, and others, as long as those two conditions are met. It must be paid within 14 days of your last day unless you and your employer agree otherwise in writing. If your actual “ordinary wage” (통상임금) is higher than the average wage calculated here, your employer must use whichever is higher — this tool doesn’t check that comparison. For a dispute or unpaid severance, contact the Ministry of Employment and Labor (1350).

Leaving a Job in Korea After 1+ Year? You're Probably Owed Severance Pay

If you've worked for the same employer in Korea continuously for 1 year or more, averaging 15+ hours a week, you're legally entitled to severance pay (퇴직금) — regardless of your nationality or visa type. This applies to E-9, E-7, H-2, D-2, F-series, and Working Holiday visa holders alike, as long as those two conditions are met.

The formula: average daily wage over your last 3 months × 30 days × (total days employed ÷ 365). In plain terms, it works out to roughly one month's average pay for every year you worked — though the exact figure depends on your actual wage history.

A common mistake: severance pay must be paid within 14 days of your last working day, unless you and your employer agree in writing to a different schedule. Many workers don't realize this deadline exists, or don't realize they're owed anything at all if their employer doesn't bring it up.

How to use it:

  1. Enter your first and last day of employment.
  2. Enter your total wages for the last 3 months before your last day (base pay plus regular allowances).
  3. Confirm you averaged 15+ hours a week.
  4. See your estimated severance pay, along with the average daily wage used in the calculation.

One nuance this tool can't check: if your legally defined "ordinary wage" (통상임금) is higher than your calculated average wage, your employer must use whichever is higher. If your result looks off, it's worth double-checking with the Ministry of Employment and Labor (1350).

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