Pension from abroad
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Pension from abroad to Finland
If you live in Finland, you can apply for a foreign pension through our online service (login link) using the same application as for the Finnish earnings-related pension:
- From EU or EEA countries,
- United Kingdom,
- Switzerland, and
- social security agreement countries (Australia, Chile, India, Israel, China, Japan, Canada (Quebec), Republic of Korea, and the United States).
You must attach the U-form to your application. If you have documents related to your stay abroad, such as employment certificates, you can also include copies of these with your application.
If you are applying for a pension from any other country than those mentioned above, i.e., so-called non-agreement countries, you must apply for the pension yourself directly from that country’s pension institution.
Applying for a pension from EU and EEA countries, the UK, Switzerland and social security agreement countries
See the instructions below when applying for a pension to Finland from EU and EEA countries, the UK, Switzerland and social security agreement countries.
How to apply for a pension
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Apply for a pension
- Apply for a pension in our online service. One application is enough: with the same application, you can apply for all earnings-related pensions accrued in Finland during your career and, if necessary, also for the national pension from Kela.
- Log in to the online service
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Complete the U-form
If you have worked or lived abroad, complete the U-form in the online service as an attachment to your application. Indicate in the application from which countries and for which periods you are applying for a pension. -
We initiate the foreign pension application process
We forward your application for a foreign pension to the Finnish Centre for Pensions, which will ensure your application is sent abroad. -
Pension decision
You will receive a separate decision on your foreign pension directly at home from the foreign pension institution. If you apply for a pension from several different countries, each country will issue its own decision.
Impact of foreign pension on Finnish earnings-related pension and other benefits
A pension paid from abroad is not an obstacle to applying for a Finnish earnings-related pension, but it may affect the amount of the pension. For more information on the impact of foreign pensions, contact Elo’s pension services.
Foreign pensions may also affect other benefits paid from Finland, such as unemployment allowance. The amount of foreign pension is also taken into account when calculating Kela’s national pension. For more details on the impact on other benefits, please contact the benefit-paying authority directly.
Pension from Finland to abroad
Apply for a pension through the pension authority in your country of residence if you are claiming a pension accrued in Finland to an EU or EEA country, a social security agreement country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. The pension authority in your country of residence will forward your application to Finland for processing when you indicate in the application that you have worked in Finland. You will receive the pension decision from Finland.
Accrual of pension from working abroad
A person working abroad is generally covered by the social security system of the country of employment, and social insurance contributions are paid to that country. Pensions and benefits are determined according to the laws of the country of employment. This is the main rule applied regardless of the nationality or domicile of the employee, employer, or entrepreneur. Therefore, pension is usually accrued under the pension system of the country of employment according to its rules, and it is not possible to transfer accrued pension from one country to another (except for those who have worked for an EU institution).
If an employee is temporarily posted to an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, or a social security agreement country, the employee remains covered by Finnish social security and thus accrues pension in Finland. In this case, a certificate for posted workers (A1 certificate) must be taken along, which can be obtained from the Finnish Centre for Pensions. If the employee is posted to a non-agreement country, pension accrues in Finland, but pension insurance contributions may also need to be paid to the country of employment.
More information on pension accrual and working abroad is available on the Finnish Centre for Pensions website.