If you are a foreign worker working in Korea
As your visa expiration date approaches, there are more things you need to prepare.
In case of sudden departure from the country or delay in application for extension or transfer
You may miss out on or be disadvantaged by various benefits such as retirement pay, insurance, and tax refunds.
So JobPloy is here for foreign workers.
We've compiled a checklist of five key things you need to prepare before your visa expires.
1. Check your visa expiration date
- The first thing you need to do is check the exact expiration date of your visa .
- You can check it on Hi Korea or your alien registration card .
- Begin preparing for your extension or transition at least 60 days before your end date.
💡 Example: For E-9 visas, the maximum stay is 4 years and 10 months.
2. Confirmation of retirement pay and wage settlement
- Before retirement, you must accurately check the number of working days, monthly salary, retirement allowance , etc.
- Severance pay is only available to those who have worked for more than one year , and it must be checked as there are cases where the business delays or misses payment.
💡 If you leave the country after retirement, it will be very difficult to receive payment later.
3. Check if you are eligible for a tax refund (preparing to file a tax correction)
- Check your earned income withholding tax receipt to see if there are any years in the past five years that qualify for a tax refund .
- If you are eligible for a refund, you can apply for one before departure through a tax refund claim .
- Self-verification is possible through Hometax, and JobPloy also provides guidance.
👉 View the Tax Refund Self-Assessment Guide
** You can apply for a tax refund through Jobploy. Please check Mypage > Affiliate Services.
4. Issuance of Health Insurance Eligibility Certificate
- A health insurance eligibility certificate may be required in various situations , such as future loans, national pension refunds after returning to Korea, and employment verification .
- It can be issued through the National Health Insurance Corporation website or Government24 .
- Be sure to save it as a PDF or print it out for safekeeping.
👉 See how to obtain a health insurance certificate
5. Visa Extension/Transfer Preparation
- Whether the visa can be extended or converted to another visa (E-7-4, F-2, etc.)
Please check the pre-qualification requirements and documents . - Required documents:
- Standard Employment Contract
- Copy of employment permit
- Company business registration certificate
- Qualification verification documents (education, work experience, etc.)
💡 JobPloy also provides E-7-4R conversion consultation.
✈️ Summary of pre-departure checklist
| item | explanation |
|---|---|
| Check your visa expiration date | Hi Korea or Alien Registration Card Verification |
| Severance pay and wage settlement | Business location and written confirmation required |
| Whether or not to get a tax refund | Check your payment statement on Hometax |
| Health Insurance Confirmation | Save or print PDF |
| Visa extension/conversion preparation | Documents and conditions must be checked in advance |
Visa expiration is not simply “the end of the job.”
This is an important time to complete everything from settlement, refund, conversion, and departure preparations .
If you miss even one, you may suffer irreversible damage .
Prepare in advance with JobPloy, a foreign recruitment platform, and complete the process without any issues !
If you need any assistance, please contact us anytime via 1:1 chat or support@jobploy.kr .