Pensions in international situations

You can accrue pension rights in all the countries where you have lived or worked.

Brexit and pensions

The United Kingdom withdrew from the EU on 1 February 2020. The Brexit withdrawal agreement signed by the EU and the UK specifies a transition period which extends to 31 December 2020, During the transition period, the social security entitlements for persons who move between the EU countries and the UK will be determined in accordance with the Brexit agreement.

The payment of pensions will not be affected by the transition. During the transition period, the rules for applying for a pension are the same as when applying for pension from an EU/EEA country or from Switzerland.

See more details on applying for a pension from Finland to another country and applying for a pension from abroad.

Also keep an eye on our Brexit page. 

EU/EEA countries and Switzerland

Pension rights accrue in all the countries whose social security system you have been covered under. The overall pension consists of the sum of the pensions from all these countries. Each country decides on the pension application on the basis of its own pension legislation. Kela and the Finnish Centre for Pensions (Eläketurvakeskus) can help you with the pension application.

Example

Riku from Finland lived and worked in Belgium for 10 months, in Germany for 9 months, in France for 15 years and in Italy for 7 years. When Riku decided to retire, he submitted a pension application to the pension provider in the country of residence, which forwarded the application to the other countries.

Since Riku had lived in Belgium and Germany for less than one year, France and Italy took the insurance periods accrued in these countries into account when awarding a pension. Riku will thus not lose the pension rights accrued in Belgium and Germany.

Countries which have a social security agreement with Finland

Finland has concluded social security agreements with some countries with the purpose of ensuring, for instance, the granting and payment of pensions to the other signatory country or from the other signatory country to Finland. Pension rights accrue according to the pension legislation of the countries that have a social security agreement with Finland. Kela and the Finnish Centre for Pensions can assist you with the pension application procedures in these countries.

Other countries

If you have lived in some other country than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, you have possibly accrued pension rights there. You must yourself check your pension entitlements with the pension provider in the country in question.