Pensions from Germany for Poles. Polish work periods can be added!
Anyone who worked in Poland and Germany is entitled to two separate pensions, but anyone who lacks years of experience in Germany can receive the Polish pension. How does it work?
More than 160,000 Poles already receive pensions and annuities from Germany, the Social Insurance Institution reported. There will be more and more of them every year.
Poles have been at the forefront of professionally active foreigners on the German labor market for years. They work in construction, transport, industry and senior care. A total of approximately 2.2 million people declare exclusively Polish origin. What can they count on?
Low pensions of Poles. Part time bill
Thanks to EU regulations on the coordination of social security, a German pension can be transferred to a Polish bank account, and ZUS will send the pension earned in Poland to an account in Germany.
Out of a pool of 160,000 people, over 124,000 Poles receive pensions from Germany, and approximately 37,000 Poles receive various types of pensions from Germany. The German pension system is based on points and average earnings, which means that many foreigners receive benefits much lower than they expected – including Poles.
The average benefit paid by the German system (DRV) to Poles living in Germany is approximately EUR 846 (approximately PLN 3,660), while for people whose benefits go to Poland, ZUS transfers an average of approximately EUR 306, or approximately PLN 1,300, to their account. This is because Poles working in Germany often do not earn much or were employed part-time, which translates into very low pensions.
The amount of the benefit in Germany depends directly on the number of years worked and contributions paid. To be entitled to a German statutory pension, you must have paid contributions for a minimum of 5 years (60 months).
Escapes to Germany from the 1980s and 1990s. 46 years of work
20 years of work does not give anyone in Germany the so-called full pension. To receive a benefit comparable to that of average German citizens, you must pay contributions for 40-45 years with an income close to the national average. Currently, it is approximately EUR 4,600-4,780 per month for a full-time employee.
Most Poles went to work in Germany in the difficult years 1980–1990. We are talking about even a million people. It is this group that is now entering German pensions.
Forced labor of Poles. Does it count towards your pension?
Forced work in Germany during World War II unfortunately does not count towards the standard pension for Poles. Germany argues that this was not a normal employment relationship based on voluntariness and regular payment of contributions within the meaning of the general pension system.
In the Polish pension system, periods of forced labor are treated in a special way in the context of pension rights, but this does not translate into the possibility of receiving a pension from Germany.
People forced to work by the occupiers receive cash benefits from ZUS for deported people. The amount of this allowance is not constant for everyone – it depends on the number of full months of forced labor. The benefit is calculated for a maximum of 20 months and amounts to PLN 366.68. There is also a veteran’s allowance, which is available to retirees and pensioners with the formal status of a veteran or a person of repression. It also amounts to PLN 366.68 per month.
