Did you work in Poland or Germany? Now it will affect your pension
19 May 22:25
Ukrainians who have worked abroad will be able to include this period in their insurance record in Ukraine. This was reported by the Ministry of Social Policy, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The ministry says that such a possibility is provided for under international social security agreements that Ukraine concludes with other countries. Also, Ukrainians will be able to “legalize” the insurance period gained abroad in accordance with the Law of Ukraine No . 3674-IX On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Settlement of the Calculation of Insurance Period and Pension Benefits and the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 562 of May 16, 2025.
It is important that people who work have the right to a pension. Therefore, we are changing legislation in response to the challenges of the times and people’s needs, regulating the issue of seniority acquired abroad, and implementing changes that should make the pension system fairer,” said Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovych.
What is insurance record and why is it important?
Insurance record is the period during which a person has paid contributions to the social insurance system. It is this length of service that determines the right to an old-age, disability, or survivor pension, as well as the amount of a future pension.
The longer a person pays insurance contributions and the higher the amount, the higher the pension payment will be.
The retirement age depends on the length of the insurance period. In 2025, in order to receive an old-age pension
- at the age of 60, you must have at least 32 years of insurance record,
- at the age of 63 – from 22 to 32 years,
- at the age of 65 – from 22 to 15 years.
In the context of large labor migration, this reform allows people who have worked outside Ukraine not to lose their labor achievements.
How it will work
The agreement stipulates that Ukrainians who have legally worked in a partner country and paid social security contributions there can submit the relevant documents to take this period into account in Ukraine. It is not necessary that there were no breaks between jobs – the main thing is that the contributions were actually paid.
Ukraine has already concluded social security agreements with more than 20 countries, including Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and others. The agreements allow avoiding double insurance and guarantee the accounting of insurance record in both countries.
The government has solved the problem faced by Ukrainians who worked in Russia or Belarus: previously, they had to provide an official certificate stating that they did not receive a pension in these countries. But after the outbreak of full-scale war, any contacts with the pension authorities of Russia and Belarus ceased, and people could not apply for a Ukrainian pension.
Now the situation has been settled: instead of a certificate, a person can personally confirm that he or she does not receive a pension from abroad. This will be considered sufficient grounds for calculating a pension in Ukraine. The responsibility for the truthfulness of the information provided lies with the person himself.
Read also: The Cabinet of Ministers has changed the calculation of Soviet service for pensions
What documents are required
In order to have foreign pensionable service credited, you must provide
- a certificate from a foreign pension authority;
- proof of payment of contributions;
- translation of documents into Ukrainian.
What’s in store for the future
The Ministry of Social Policy is preparing new agreements with the countries where most Ukrainian workers are employed, including Israel, Portugal and the Scandinavian countries. It is also planning to create a digital service that will allow for remote submission of documents.
Context
Until now, Ukraine had a rule that only the length of service gained in Ukraine was taken into account when calculating pensionable service. The exceptions were countries with which Ukraine had ratified agreements on the recognition of work experience.
In 2024, MPs passed a law drafted by the Ministry of Social Policy that introduced the so-called proportional seniority system. The law stipulates that the same rules apply to all countries: the amount of a Ukrainian’s pension will depend on the insurance contributions paid in Ukraine, but at the same time, if a person worked abroad, their length of service will be taken into account when determining their eligibility for a pension.
For example, if a person had worked in Ukraine for 25 years and abroad for another 5 years before the Law was passed, they would not be eligible for an old-age pension.
Therefore, according to Oleksiy Chernyshev, Minister of National Unity of Ukraine, the decision to include the period of work outside Ukraine in the pensionable service record “is of key importance for determining the right to an old-age pension, as it allows taking into account the entire period of Ukrainians’ labor activity.”
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