My Salary Hasn't Been Paid for 3 Months - A Complete Legal Guide to Wage Theft for Foreign Workers in Korea
Foreign workers in Korea are fully protected by the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) - regardless of visa type. If your employer hasn't paid your wages, you have the legal right to file a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and in many cases, you can also change workplaces. This guide covers everything from evidence collection to filing a complaint, criminal prosecution, and protecting your visa status.
May 07, 2026
Contents
1. Foreign Workers Have the Same Labor Rights as Korean Workers2. What Counts as "Wage Theft" Under Korean Law?3. Evidence Collection Guide for Foreign Workers4. Step-by-Step: How to File a Wage Complaint5. Wage Theft and Your Right to Change Workplaces6. Mandatory Insurance: Your Employer's Obligations☑️ SugarSquare Check Point1. Foreign Workers Have the Same Labor Rights as Korean Workers
This is the single most important thing to understand.
Article 6 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법 제6조, Equal Treatment)
An employer shall not engage in discriminatory treatment of workers on the basis of gender, nationality, religion, or social status with respect to working conditions.
Whether you hold an E-9 (Non-Professional Employment), H-2 (Working Visit), E-7 (Special Occupation), or F-series visa, the Korean Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) applies to you.
- Minimum wage must be paid (2026: KRW 10,320/hour)
- Overtime, night, and holiday work requires a 50% premium on ordinary wages
- Severance pay is mandatory after 1 year of continuous employment
- Wages must be paid at least once per month on a fixed date, in legal currency, directly to the worker
‼️ Note: Depending on the size of the workplace or the nature of the work, certain provisions may apply differently.
‼️ Undocumented workers may also be protected.
The Supreme Court (en banc) held that immigration laws restricting foreign employment "are intended only to prohibit the factual act of employing a foreign national without work authorization, and cannot be interpreted as prohibiting the legal effects arising from the labor actually provided — including the rights under labor relations laws that come with the worker's status in an already-formed employment relationship." (Supreme Court, June 25, 2015, Case No. 2007Do4995, en banc decision)
Accordingly, it is unlawful for an employer to refuse to pay wages for work already performed on the basis of the worker's visa status.
2. What Counts as "Wage Theft" Under Korean Law?
Article 43 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법 제43조, Payment of Wages)
Wages shall be paid directly to the worker in legal currency, in full, at least once a month on a fixed date.
Article 36 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법 제36조, Settlement of Payments)
Upon the death or resignation of a worker, the employer shall pay all wages, severance pay, and other payments within 14 days from the date the payment obligation arises.
Violation of these provisions is a criminal offense:
- Article 109, Paragraph 1 (근로기준법 제109조 제1항): Up to 3 years imprisonment or KRW 30 million fine
- This applies even if the employer claims financial difficulties
‼️ Wage theft is a "crime not prosecutable against the victim's will" (반의사불벌죄) under Article 109, Paragraph 2 (근로기준법 제109조 제2항). This means prosecution cannot proceed if the victim (worker) expresses a wish not to punish the employer.
This effectively gives workers a powerful card in settlement negotiations. Conversely, workers should be careful not to accept an unfairly low amount in exchange for withdrawing the complaint.
Common forms of wage theft affecting foreign workers:
- Withholding wages entirely or paying partial amounts
- Delaying payment beyond the agreed pay date
- Failing to pay overtime, night shift, or holiday premiums
- Deducting "housing" or "meal costs" without written agreement
- Refusing to pay final wages or severance after resignation
- Claiming a "probation period" means no wages are owed
‼️ A probation period does not exempt the employer from paying wages. Minimum wage applies from day one.
3. Evidence Collection Guide for Foreign Workers
Before you file a complaint, evidence is everything. Gather as much of the following as possible:
- Employment contract: Your most important document. Keep the original.
- Pay stubs / wage statements: If your employer provides them
- Bank transfer records: Account statements showing (or not showing) wage deposits
- Work hour records: Time cards, attendance logs, or your own daily record of hours worked
- Text messages / KakaoTalk: Messages discussing wages, work schedules, or payment promises
- Co-worker testimony: Written statements from colleagues confirming your employment and hours
- Photos/videos of the workplace: To prove you actually worked there
📌 Pro tip: If your employer doesn't provide pay stubs, start keeping a personal daily log immediately. Courts accept worker-kept records as evidence when employer records are unavailable.
4. Step-by-Step: How to File a Wage Complaint
Step 1: File a Complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor (고용노동부)
- Visit the local labor office (관할 지방고용노동청) in person
- "진정" (Petition): A request for the employer to pay outstanding wages
- "고소" (Criminal Complaint): A request for criminal punishment of the employer under the Labor Standards Act
- Multilingual interpreter support is available — request an interpreter at the labor office
- A labor inspector will investigate, summon the employer, and order payment
Step 2: If the Employer Still Refuses to Pay
- The labor inspector can refer the case for criminal prosecution (형사 기소)
- You can file a civil lawsuit (민사소송) or apply for a payment order (지급명령) through the court
- Korea Legal Aid Corporation (대한법률구조공단) provides free legal assistance to foreign workers for wage disputes - ☎ 132
Step 3: Unpaid Wage Subrogation Payment System (체불임금등·대지급금 제도)
If your employer is bankrupt or unable to pay, you may be eligible for the government's subrogation payment program (체불임금등·대지급금 제도).
‼️ Note: The maximum amount of the subrogation payment is determined by the Minister of Employment and Labor in consultation with the Minister of Economy and Finance, taking into account the worker's wages/income level, inflation rate, fund financial conditions, and the worker's age at the time of resignation. (Enforcement Decree of the Wage Claim Guarantee Act, Article 6, Paragraph 2 (임금채권보장법 시행령 제6조 제2항))
5. Wage Theft and Your Right to Change Workplaces
For E-9 visa holders, changing employers is normally restricted. However, wage theft is one of the recognized exceptions.
Article 25 of the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers (외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률 제25조, Change of Business or Workplace)
A foreign worker may change workplaces if the employer has violated labor contract conditions, engaged in unfair treatment, or other reasons as prescribed by Presidential Decree.
Ministry of Employment and Labor Guidelines (고용노동부 고시, Detailed Criteria for Workplace Change)
In cases of wage theft, a workplace change is permitted when wages have been unpaid for 2 months or more, or 30% or more of wages have been unpaid.
The process:
- File a complaint with the labor office documenting the wage theft
- Request a workplace change (사업장 변경 신청) at the Employment Center (고용센터)
Important: Within the first 3 years from the date of entry, you may change workplaces up to 3 times as a general rule.
‼️ However, during an extended stay period under the following circumstances, the limit is up to 2 additional changes:
- E-9 visa workers whose employer has requested re-employment authorization (재고용 허가) before the initial 3-year work period expires (E-9 visa workers who extended their stay through re-employment)
- H-2 visa workers whose employer has requested re-employment authorization under the special employment confirmation system (H-2 visa workers who extended their stay through re-employment)
- You must find a new employer within 3 months of the change permit
‼️ Do not leave your workplace before filing a complaint. If you leave without going through the proper process, it may be treated as voluntary resignation, which could jeopardize your visa status.
6. Mandatory Insurance: Your Employer's Obligations
Under Korean law, employers of E-9 workers must maintain:
- Departure Guarantee Insurance (출국만기보험): Ensures severance pay upon departure
- Wage Theft Guarantee Insurance (임금체불 보증보험): Specifically covers unpaid wages
If your employer hasn't enrolled you in these insurance programs, that itself is a violation reportable to the labor office.
☑️ SugarSquare Check Point
- You have the same labor rights as Korean workers.
The Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) protects all workers in Korea regardless of nationality or visa status. Wage theft is a criminal offense.
- Document everything from day one.
Keep your employment contract, pay stubs, bank records, and a personal work log. These are your strongest weapons.
- Filing a complaint does NOT affect your visa.
Labor complaints are handled by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (고용노동부), not Immigration (출입국관리사무소). Exercising your labor rights will not lead to deportation.
- You can change workplaces if wages are unpaid.
E-9 visa holders are legally permitted to change employers when wage theft occurs. Don't quit first - file the complaint first.
- Free legal help is available.
Korea Legal Aid Corporation (대한법률구조공단, ☎ 132) and the Foreign Workers' Counseling Center (외국인근로자 상담센터, ☎ 1350) provide free multilingual legal assistance.
👀 More from Sugar Square's K-Foreigner Center
SugarSquare provides comprehensive legal solutions for foreign workers in Korea - from wage disputes and labor complaints to criminal defense, immigration screenings, and visa protection.
[Contact Us]
- Tel: 02-563-5877
- KakaoTalk: Search 'SugarSquare Law' or KakaoTalk Consultation Link
- e-mail: sugar@sugar.legal
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