Will Ukrainians receive a pension in Germany: conditions that refugees should know about
The war started by Russia forced many Ukrainians to seek temporary refuge abroad. One of these countries is Germany, where many of our compatriots are trying to build a new life in conditions of constant uncertainty. However, rumors are actively spreading in social networks that Ukrainian refugees in Germany may receive German pensions after reaching the age of 50. However, in reality, this information needs clarification.
Deutsche Rentenversicherung explained exactly what conditions must be met in order for Ukrainian refugees to apply for a pension in Germany. This issue is of great interest among those who plan to stay in this country for a long time or even for permanent residence.
Ukrainians who were forced to leave for Germany because of the war cannot expect to receive a pension based only on their age. In Germany, the general rules for receiving a pension apply to all persons who have paid contributions to the German pension insurance system (Rentenversicherung), including refugees. The age from which it is possible to receive a pension is 63 years, provided that there is at least 35 years of insurance experience.
To qualify for a pension, a person must pay insurance contributions to the Rentenkasse for at least five years. This rule applies to everyone, regardless of nationality and status. Moreover, there are no special laws that allow refugees to receive a pension based solely on their age or status in Germany.
A special case is provided for those who have 45 years of insurance experience — they can apply for an early pension without any deductions, which also applies to Ukrainians who have worked in Germany for so many years.
However, if a Ukrainian who arrived in Germany does not have the appropriate length of service in the German pension insurance system, he must pay contributions for at least five years in order to be entitled to a pension. Payments are possible from the age of 63 with 35 years of insurance experience, but this involves a deduction of 0.3% for each month of early retirement.
There is also the possibility of receiving the right to a pension in less than five years if the person previously worked in a country that has a social security agreement with Germany. However, Ukraine is not included in the list of such countries, which makes it difficult for Ukrainian refugees to receive a pension.
Ukrainian pensioners who have moved to Germany may face the problem of receiving pension payments from Ukraine, as the process of transferring a pension from one country to another is quite complicated and requires an appropriate international agreement between the countries. In this context, it is also important to take into account that the pension systems of different countries differ significantly in accrual conditions, payment amounts and seniority requirements.
The majority of Ukrainians who were forced to leave their country should consider working in Germany in order to secure their future pension. After all, without paying insurance contributions to the German pension system, they will not be able to count on a pension in the future.
In addition, even if Ukrainians decide to return to the Motherland after the end of the war, their German insurance experience can be taken into account when calculating the Ukrainian pension, if a relevant agreement is concluded between the countries.
