Annual Paid Leave in Korea: What Foreign Workers Should Know

Q: How Many Annual Leave Days Can You Get?

Generally, an employee who has worked for one year and has an attendance rate of at least 80% is entitled to 15 days of paid annual leave. For employees who have worked for less than one year, or whose attendance rate is below 80%, one day of paid leave is provided for each month of perfect attendance.

Q: What Happens After Three Years?

Employees who have worked continuously for three years or more receive additional annual leave. One additional day is added for every two years of continuous employment after the initial one-year period, with the total annual leave capped at 25 days.

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Annual Paid Leave in Korea: What Foreign Workers Should Know

“I work in Korea. How many paid vacation days am I entitled to?”

If you are a foreign employee working in Korea, you may be entitled to annual paid leave under Korean labor law.

Knowing how annual leave works can help you understand your rights as an employee.

How Many Annual Leave Days Can You Get?

Generally, an employee who has worked for one year and has an attendance rate of at least 80% is entitled to 15 days of paid annual leave.

For employees who have worked for less than one year, or whose attendance rate is below 80%, one day of paid leave is provided for each month of perfect attendance.

What Happens After Three Years?

Employees who have worked continuously for three years or more receive additional annual leave.

One additional day is added for every two years of continuous employment after the initial one-year period, with the total annual leave capped at 25 days.

Can Foreign Workers Take Annual Leave?

Yes. Foreign workers can also be entitled to annual paid leave when they meet the requirements under Korean labor law.

Annual leave is a paid holiday, meaning the employee should receive the applicable ordinary or average wage for the leave period under the law.

What If You Don't Use Your Annual Leave?

Annual leave generally expires if it is not used within the relevant period.

However, there are exceptions, such as when the employee could not use the leave because of the employer's fault.

Also, employers may have a legal annual leave promotion system that encourages employees to use their remaining leave. Therefore, whether unused leave can be converted into a monetary payment can depend on the circumstances.

Working in Korea?

If you are unsure how many annual leave days you have or whether your employer is properly handling your annual leave, consulting a qualified labor professional can help you understand your rights based on your employment situation.