Pension from Finland to another country
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If Kela pays you an old-age pension, a disability pension or a survivors’ pension and you move abroad, the payment of the pension may not continue. The payment is affected by which country you move to. How long you intend to stay abroad is also of significance. Always notify Kela if you move abroad.
If you receive an earnings-related pension and move abroad, your authorised pension provider will continue to pay your earnings-related pension regardless of which country you move to. However, you should contact your authorised pension provider before moving.
Kela will continue paying pensions abroad as normal
Government has outlined plans to stop paying national pensions to recipients outside Finland. Kela does not currently have detailed information on when the plan to stop national pension payments outside Finland will be implemented. We will continue payments for the time being and provide more information to the public once the proposal and its implementation schedule have been finalised.
Are you moving abroad temporarily?
If you move abroad temporarily, any pensions and child increase from Kela will be paid in the normal manner during your stay abroad. However, you must notify Kela of your move abroad.
Guarantee pension and housing allowance for pensioners can only be paid if your stay abroad is temporary. The housing allowance for pensioners is only paid towards the costs of a permanent home located in Finland.
Do you regularly stay abroad?
Regularly staying abroad means that, for example, you always spend four months abroad in the winter and come back to Finland in the spring.
Read more about how regular stays are determined for different countries
Are you moving abroad permanently?
If you move to an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, Kela will continue to pay your old-age pension, disability pension and survivors’ pensions in the normal manner.
Whether your pension can be paid to the United Kingdom depends on whether your situation is covered by the partnership agreement or the withdrawal agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom.
If you move to a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, the payment of pensions available from Kela which are covered by the agreement will continue on certain conditions.
The social security agreements with the United States, Canada, Chile and Israel cover old-age pensions and survivors’ pensions. If you move to the United States or Canada, the payment of your disability pension can also continue. However, different countries have different conditions for the payment of pensions, such as conditions concerning citizenship and the length of residence.
The social security agreement with Australia covers old-age pensions. If you receive a pension from Australia, the amount of the pension will change, since Australia takes any basic pensions paid by the other signatory country into account as income.
If you move to a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, Kela will continue to pay your old-age pension, disability pension and survivors’ pensions for a maximum of one year.
However, if you have not lived in Finland for at least one year immediately before moving abroad, the payment of your pension will be stopped from the beginning of the month following your move abroad.
More information about moving abroad
Are you applying for a pension from Finland while living outside Finland?
If you live in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom and you wish to apply for a national pension or an earnings-related pension, you should file your application with the pension provider in your country of residence. The pension provider will send your application to Kela and your authorised pension provider in Finland. For further instructions on the application process, contact the pension provider in your country of residence.
Whether your disability pension from Kela can be granted to the United Kingdom depends on whether your situation is covered by the partnership agreement or the withdrawal agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom.
If you live in a country that has a social security agreement with Finland and wish to apply for a national pension or an earnings-related pension, you can apply for pensions that are covered by the agreement by filing a pension application with the pension provider in your country of residence. The pension provider will send your application to Finland for processing. Alternatively, if you live in the United States, you can send the application directly to Kela or the Finnish Centre for Pensions.
The agreements do not cover all pensions from Kela. The agreements with the United States, Canada, Chile and Israel cover old-age pensions and survivors’ pensions. The agreement with Australia only covers old-age pensions. You can only apply to Kela for pensions that are covered by the agreement.
If you live in India, China or South Korea, you cannot receive a pension from Kela. However, if you have worked in Finland, you can apply for an earnings-related pension from Finland. For more information about earnings-related pensions, visit the työeläke.fi website.
If you permanently live in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, you cannot receive a pension from Kela.
However, if you have worked in Finland, you can apply for an earnings-related pension from Finland. For more information about earnings-related pensions, visit the työeläke.fi website.
Do you still have questions?
You can call Kela’s Centre for International Affairs.
What else is going on in your life?
Do you live abroad or dream of moving abroad?
You can find information on our website on how staying abroad affects Kela benefits and medical care in different situations.