Foreign workers must not exceed 20% of their wage for accommodation and food expenses

<Question> I am a foreign worker working for a company. I live in the dormitory provided by the company, and my boss takes 20% of my wages. However, I was told that there is a limit to how much money can take out of foreign worker’s salary for dormitory or utility expenses. I wonder what the limit is.

<Answer> In the employment permit system, the upper limit of the cost burden standard for foreign workers according to the company's accommodation and meals is as follows.

▲If the accommodation provided by the company is an apartment, detached house, tenement house, multi-family house, or equivalent facilities, ① 20% of the monthly flat wage if both accommodation and food are provided ② 15% of the monthly flat wage if only accommodation is provided. ▲If you live in other temporary housing facilities ① 13% of your monthly flat wage if provided both accommodation and food ② If only provided accommodation, 8% of your monthly flat wage.

If an employee is paying more than the cost burden, he or she can call the employment and labor office to report it. In addition, if it is a temporary housing facility, you must check whether the facility has been confirmed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. If you live in an unconfirmed temporary housing facility, you can report it to the Employment and Labor Office and change your job.

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