Employment Certificate (Certificate of Employment Service) Guide

At a glance

• When a worker requests it, even after leaving, the employer must issue at once a certificate truthfully stating the period of employment, type of work, position and wages, and other necessary matters.
• The person who can request it is a worker who has worked for 30 or more consecutive days, and the deadline is within 3 years after leaving.
• The certificate must state only the items the worker requested.
• An employer who violates this certificate obligation is subject to an administrative fine of up to 5,000,000 KRW.

Who does this

• Who requests: a worker who has worked at the same workplace for 30 or more consecutive days. A "worker" is a person who provides work to a business or workplace for wages, regardless of the type of occupation.
• Who issues: the employer, meaning the business owner, the person in charge of managing the business, or another person who acts for the business owner on matters concerning workers.
• This certificate obligation also applies to workplaces that regularly employ 4 or fewer workers.
• An employer may not discriminate in working conditions on the basis of nationality.

Where to apply

• You request it directly from the employer of the company where you worked (or work). It is not a document issued by a government office for you.
• There is no set request form or method. It helps to keep a written record or message of the request date and the items you asked for.
• An employer may not dismiss or otherwise treat a worker unfavorably because the worker reported a violation to the Minister of Employment and Labor or a labor inspector.

What to bring

• No documents are prescribed by law. Decide which items the certificate should state and request them: any of the period of employment, type of work, position, wages and other necessary matters.
• If you will submit it for a stay application, check the required items first. Example: in the Immigration Stay Manual, the work-experience proof for job seeking (D-10) is "an employment certificate or certificate of employment including the period, place, occupation, etc."
• For an employment certificate issued by a foreign company, under the common attachments for Special Activities (E-7) in the Visa Issuance Manual, attach a Korean or English translation, and for key documents submit consular notarization or an apostille (apostille guide).

Cost

Procedure

• First, check that you worked at the same workplace for 30 or more consecutive days and, if you have left, that 3 years have not passed since leaving.
• Next, check the items the receiving office (for example, an immigration office) requires, and request those items from the employer.
• The employer must issue at once a certificate stating the facts truthfully and only the items the worker requested.
• If the employer does not issue it, this is a violation of the law subject to an administrative fine of up to 5,000,000 KRW. The violation can be reported to the Minister of Employment and Labor or a labor inspector.

Common sticking points

• Once 3 years have passed since leaving, the request deadline has passed.
• A worker who has not worked for 30 or more consecutive days is not eligible to make this request.
• Items the worker did not request may not be written on the certificate. State clearly which items you need when you request it.
• Required documents differ by status of stay. The manuals list some items as alternatives, such as "degree certificate or employment certificate" and "resume or employment certificate", so check the attachments for your status of stay on HiKorea.

This guide is general information and does not assess any individual case. Laws and fees can change, so check the original text via the official links and with the competent office.