Can Ukrainians Receive Pensions in Poland: Clarifications and Conditions
Due to Russia’s full-scale aggression, many Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes and seek safety abroad.
Recently, Poland has become a popular destination for Ukrainian refugees, offering them temporary protection status.
This situation raises an important question: can Ukrainians residing in Poland receive a pension there, and what conditions must be met to do so? Recently, Ukraine and Poland signed a bilateral social security agreement, which allows the pension eligibility to consider work experience in both countries.
Polish legislation sets the retirement age at 60 for women and 65 for men.
Additionally, applicants must have a minimum insurance record of 20 years for women and 25 years for men.
It’s important to note that if a person has worked officially in Poland for less than 12 months, they are not entitled to a Polish pension.
However, if a person has several years of work record in Poland and over 20 years in Ukraine, the pension will be paid proportionally from both countries.
The minimum pension amount in Poland currently stands at approximately 1,700 zlotys (around 400 euros), but the exact sum depends on the number of official work years.
To initiate the pension process, applicants need to submit a claim to the Polish Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), fill out a special international form, and send necessary documents to the Ukrainian Pension Fund for verification.
Once processed, Poland will consider the Ukrainian work record and establish pension payments accordingly.
This arrangement enables Ukrainian refugees to receive pension benefits even while abroad under specified conditions.