Social security: your rights when moving across borders

Take your rights with you

When you move within Europe for work, your social security rights continue, from unemployment benefits and maternity pay through to old age pensions. This applies not only to the 27 EU Member States, but also to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

EU rules on social security coordination apply to sickness, unemployment, maternity, paternity and family benefits, as well as old age pensions and benefits relating to accidents at work, occupational diseases, death and survivors’ benefits. The exact benefits that are available vary by country.

Countries may have different rules for social security benefits, but EU rules require that Member States align their systems so that jobseekers moving from one country to another to work can continue to claim for benefits that they have already earned in their own country. However, you cannot be insured and receive the same benefit in two countries at once.

How continuous coverage works in practice

Member States’ coordination of social security, a longstanding pillar of EU social policy, means that citizens can expect their rights to continue as they move around the region, for work – as well as for leisure or retirement.

In 2021, about 16 million EU/EFTA citizens lived in another EU or EFTA country and around 100 million tourists visited another Member State, the latest EU figures show. That year, almost 6 million pensions were paid to people living in another EU/EFTA country or the UK, while family benefits were transferred to more than a million family members in another EU/EFTA country or the UK – and about 235 million EHICs (European Health Insurance Cards) were in circulation.

As an EU citizen, your benefit rights are usually covered by the Member Country where you work. However, there are exceptions. For example, when you are on a short-term work posting in a different country for up to two years, your social security rights will continue to be covered by the Member Country where your employer is based.

If you work in more than one country at once, your entitlement to social security benefits will be covered by the country where you live, as long as you also work more than 25% of your working hours there. Otherwise, you will be classed as a cross-border worker, and your benefits will be covered by the country where your employer is based.

You will also be entitled a pension at retirement age from every EU Member State where you have been insured. This is claimed from the country where you last worked.

Moving to digital

Currently, those who want to move between countries to work and to claim local benefits must have the relevant forms issued by their current social security institution or health insurance authority.

In the future, however, the European Commission aims to reduce the administration involved by digitalising it – and is encouraging countries to make this as user-friendly as possible. The Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI) system is working with social security institutions to share information across Europe. A pilot project, the European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) initiative, is currently looking at ways of digitally verifying citizens’ social security entitlements across borders.

Longer-term, an EU Digital Identity (EUDI) wallet is envisaged that will enable EU citizens to carry digital versions of their entitlement documents for easy verification by bodies including social security institutions, labour inspectorates and healthcare providers.

Check out the European Commission’s country database to see which social security benefits are available in the country you are moving to for work. Find out more about pension rights and how to claim them.

EU Social Security Coordination

Understand which rules apply to you

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