Pension ABC

In Austria, almost everyone in gainful employment (including the self-employed) is covered by the mandatory statutory pension provision. Scholarship holders on a post-graduate or post-doc level are usually considered as employees and have full social security coverage.

Pension reforms in the past decades have harmonized the system, meaning that civil servants apppointed after 2004 and those born in or after 1976 are insured in the statutory pension system as well.

The “Pensionsversicherungsanstalt” is the largest pension insurance institution for employees and workers. Pension insurance is not obligatory for persons with an annual income of less than the annual minor employment threshold (these persons have only an accident insurance). In 2019 the threshold was 446.81 Euros per month.

The total pension contribution is 22.8 % of pensionable earnings. Thereof you have to pay 10.25 % whereas your employer has to pay the remaining 12.55 %. The contribution will be deducted directly from your gross earnings.

There is an assessment ceiling of EUR 5220 (2019) per month. Self employed persons basically pay 18.5 % of the average monthly profits made, but limited by a ceiling.

A refund of contributions is not possible.

Yes, your insurance periods in Austria are subject to EU coordination. This means that insurance periods spent in another EU Member State, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Switzerland are recognized in Austria and vice versa. This is important, for example, in order to fulfill the relevant qualifying period (see question No. B3).

Before you leave Austria you should check your individual retirement account (“Pensionskonto”).

Link: Information in English.

The “Pensionsversicherungsanstalt” offers an E-Service (in German) where you can find your social insurance data sheet and inform yourself on your current pension credits (“Pensionsgutschriften”) on your individual retirement account.

Furthermore, you can request an overview of your already earned insurance periods (“Feststellung der Versicherungszeiten") from the “Pensionsversicherungsanstalt". Application forms (in German).

The statutory pension scheme provides

• Old-Age Pension
• Early Retirement Pension after an extended period of insurance
• Pension for heavy work
• Early Retirement Pension due to reduced capacity to work
• Surviving Dependents' Pension
• Rehabilitation Measures
• Health Care

In order to be entitled to a pension, you must have accumulated the minimum number of insurance months during your working life and fulfil the entitlement conditions. As there are different kinds of pensions, these conditions vary. With regard to the recognition of insurance periods spent in other EU-countries please refer to question No. B3.

For example, under the General Pensions Act (APG) persons born after 1955 without any insurance month prior to 2005 have to be insured for at least 15 years (180 months) in order to be entitled to an old-age pension.

The 15-years insurance period takes into account periods of compulsory insurance due to gainful employment, partial insurance (e.g. unemployment, childcare) and voluntary insurance, most of them earned after December 2004 (certain insurance periods prior to 2005 e.g. due to childcare may be taken into account as well).

Out of these 15 years of insurance a minimum of 7 years (84 months) has to be acquired through gainful employment.

However, for an old-age pension this would be only one out of four ways to fulfil the minimum requirements. The amount of the pension is based on the pension account.

Yes, your insurance periods in Austria are subject to EU coordination. This means that insurance periods spent in another EU Member State, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Switzerland are recognized in Austria and vice versa. This is important, for example, in order to fulfill the relevant qualifying period.

The coordination rules apply for

• Nationals of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland who are or have been insured in one of these countries, and their family members.
• Stateless persons or refugees residing in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, who are or have been insured in one of these countries, and their family members.
• Nationals of non-EU countries legally residing in the territory of the EU, who have moved between these countries, and their family members.

Austria has also concluded several social security agreements with countries outside the EU/EFTA that may include rules on coordination and payment of pensions.

A voluntary insurance is possible upon request.

You may

• pay additional contributions to increase your pension benefits or
• continue your insurance on a voluntary basis or
• pay contributions although you are not subject to compulsory insurance (self-insurance)

If you were born on or after 1 January 1955 your pension is calculated according to the new rules of the General Pensions Act (“Allgemeines Pensionsgesetz”, APG). This means that you accrue pension entitlements according to your annual earnings.

For each year you receive a credit of 1.78% of your pensionable earnings. However you only accrue pension entitlements for earnings up to a maximum of 65.100 Euros a year (2015). Your annual pension credits (“Pensionsgutschriften”) as well as your total pension entitlements are recorded on an individual retirement account (see question No. A5, “Pensionskonto”)

The monthly (gross) pension is calculated by dividing your total pension entitlement by 14.

In order to inform yourself about your current entitlement you can check your individual retirement account (“Pensionskonto”).
Link: Information in English.

In order to be entitled to a pension, you must have accumulated the minimum number of insurance months during your working life and fulfil the entitlement conditions. As there are different kinds of pensions, these conditions vary.

For an old-age pension you can apply at the age of 65 (men) or 60 (women). Starting from 2033 onwards, the retirement age for women will be increased gradually to 65 (effective in 2033). Early retirement is possible but only for persons with long insurance periods depending on date of birth and sex.

Residents of EU/EFTA counties or a contracting state

If you live in another EU/EFTA country or a country with which Austria has a bilateral social security agreement you can apply for a pension at the responsible statutory pension insurance institution of your current country of residence.

Austria has concluded bilateral social security agreements regulating the payment of pensions with several countries outside the EU/EFTA, e.g.:

• Australia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Canada
• Chile
• Israel
• Macedonia
• Moldova
• Montenegro • Philippines
• Serbia
• South Korea
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Uruguay
• USA

Link: List with the effective social security agreements (in German).

Please indicate that you were insured with the statutory pension system of Austria. Your application will then be transmitted to the relevant pension institution in Austria. You may also apply online. You can get information (in German) by following this link.

Forms can be filled out online and sent electronically directly to the pension insurance institution. But basically a digital signature of the complaining person is required to submit an online inquiry.

Non-EU/EFTA residents

As a non-EU/EFTA resident you have to apply for a pension at the responsible pension institution in Austria. You can find the application forms at “Pensionsversicherungsanstalt online under “Anträge und Formulare”.

If the legal requirements are fulfilled, you can apply for the pension even if you are still working.

Due to the complex intergovernmental regulations, and the different social security law in the EU Member States, EEA countries and contracting countries, this questions - in an individual case - can only made by the competent pension institution because there are different affections for the different types of pensions.

There are no restrictions to payments of Austrian Social Security pensions regarding your country of residence.