Your State Pension If You've Worked in Several EU Countries
Worked in three EU countries over a career? Your pension rights don't vanish when you move — each country pays its share, and the years add up. But retirement ages differ, and claiming takes time. Here is how it works, from the European Commission's Your Europe service.
Quick answer
If you've worked in several EU countries, you keep pension rights in each of them, and each pays its own part when you reach its legal retirement age. You apply once, to the pension authority in the country where you live or last worked, which gathers your records from the others. Where a country requires a minimum number of years, it must count your years in other EU countries too (aggregation). Periods of less than a year in one country aren't lost; the countries where you worked longer take them into account. Ask for information at least 6 months before you plan to retire.
How to claim
You apply to the pension authority in the country where you live or last worked. If you've never worked in the country where you live, it forwards your claim to the country where you last worked, which then processes it and gathers your contribution records from every country you worked in. Some countries send you an application form automatically before their retirement age; if yours doesn't, ask. You'll usually need your bank details and identification. Drawing a pension from several countries can take a long time, so Your Europe advises asking for information at least 6 months before you retire.
Different retirement ages
Each country pays its part only once you reach its legal retirement age. Your Europe's example: someone who worked 15 years in Denmark and then returned to France could claim the French part of their pension at 62, but would receive the Danish part only at 67. Taking one pension earlier than another can affect the amounts, so check with every country before you choose a start date.
Short careers in one country still count
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Aggregation of periods | If a country needs a minimum insurance period, it must count your periods in other EU countries as if you'd worked there. Example from Your Europe: 4 years in Germany, where 5 are required, plus 32 years in Portugal — Germany must pay a pension for the 4 years. |
| Less than one year of insurance | Some countries don't pay pensions for very short periods, but those months aren't lost: the countries where you worked longer include them in their calculation. |
| Calculation | Each authority works out what you'd get had your whole EU career been in its scheme, then pays the share matching your time there. |
Practical steps for mobile workers
- Keep records of every job, insurance number and employer in each country.
- Check retirement ages for each country you've worked in — they can differ by years.
- Apply once, where you live or last worked, and let that authority coordinate.
- Retiring abroad? Health cover follows your pension: with no pension from your new country, you register an S1 form from the country that pays you. See our guide to health insurance when moving within the EU.
Key takeaways
- Each country pays its share at its own retirement age.
- One application, where you live or last worked.
- Years add up towards minimum periods (aggregation).
- Start early: ask at least 6 months before retiring.
FAQ
Do I lose my pension if I leave an EU country after a few years?
No. You keep the pension rights you built up there, and that country pays its part when you reach its retirement age. Periods too short for a pension there are counted by the countries where you worked longer.
Where do I apply for a pension if I worked in several EU countries?
To the pension authority in the country where you live or last worked. It gathers your records from the other countries.
Can I get all my EU pensions at the same age?
Not necessarily. Each country pays its part only once you reach its legal retirement age, which differs between countries.
When should I start the pension process?
Your Europe advises asking for information at least 6 months before you plan to retire, because drawing a pension from several countries can take a long time.
Sources (official only)
Verified against the official pages above on 26 September 2026. Information, not financial advice.