Austria pension for foreigners: the state pension, foreign years and your foreign pension (2026)
Austria pension for foreigners in 2026: the ministry lists age and insurance months as the pension conditions, and we found no citizenship condition. The pension age is 65 for men and rising to 65 for women, and you need at least 180 insurance months, about 15 years (sozialministerium.gv.at, 2026). Years from the EU or an agreement country can help you qualify. A foreign pension, in turn, can count as income for Austria’s settlement permit without gainful employment.
Which pension question is yours?
I work or worked in Austria
Your Austrian pension: age, 180 months, the pension account.
Go to: pension age · the amount.
I also worked in another country
Does your country have an agreement with Austria?
Go to: countries that count.
I want to retire to Austria on my own pension
Your pension can serve as income proof for the settlement permit without gainful employment.
More: Austria retirement visa.
My parents would live on their pension
On the settlement permit without gainful employment, their own pension or other regular income must reach the official figure. Other routes exist, as a rule, only where the child, or the child’s spouse or registered partner, supports the parents: an Austrian child (Angehöriger permit, § 47 (3) NAG) or an EU/EEA/Swiss child living in Austria under EU law (Aufenthaltskarte, § 52 (1) Z 3 and § 54 NAG). An exception applies to the parents of a recognised refugee, or of a minor with subsidiary protection, who was an unaccompanied minor when applying for protection (§ 46a (5) Z 2 and 3 NAG).
More: can I bring my parents?
Austrian pension for foreigners in 8 official facts
| Fact | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pension age, men | 65 | sozialministerium.gv.at |
| Pension age, women | Rising from 60 in six-month steps by date of birth; 65 for women born from 1 July 1968 | sozialministerium.gv.at |
| Minimum insurance | 180 insurance months, at least 84 of them from work (§ 4 (1) APG); the ministry also lists older tests | RIS, sozialministerium.gv.at |
| Application | Needed; file two to three months before the planned start | sozialministerium.gv.at |
| Amount | 1.78 % of each year’s contribution base; total credit ÷ 14 = monthly gross pension | oesterreich.gv.at |
| Contribution while working | Salaried employees (Angestellte) in jobs subject to compulsory pension insurance pay 10.25 % of gross pay up to the maximum contribution base (Höchstbeitragsgrundlage); a marginal job at or below €551.10 a month (2026) gives accident insurance only unless you insure yourself voluntarily | ÖGK |
| Foreign periods | Counted for entitlement only with EU/EEA/Swiss/UK rules or a bilateral agreement | ministry overview |
| Foreign pension as permit income | Listed as regular income for the settlement permit without gainful employment | migration.gv.at |
What is the pension age in Austria in 2026?
The statutory pension age in Austria is 65 for men (sozialministerium.gv.at, 2026); for women it rises from 60 in six-month steps by date of birth and reaches 65 for women born from 1 July 1968 (in 2033) (sozialministerium.gv.at, last update 24 June 2026). We found no citizenship condition in the ministry’s rules.
| Group | Pension age |
|---|---|
| Men | 65 (completed 65th year) |
| Women born up to 31 December 1963 | 60 |
| Women born 1 January to 30 June 1964 | 60 and a half |
| Women born from 1 July 1964 to 30 June 1968 | Between 61 and 64 and a half, by date of birth (see the ministry’s table) |
| Women born from 1 July 1968 | 65 |
If you keep working beyond that age and defer the pension, it grows by 5.1 % a year for up to three years. If you plan to move to Austria as a retiree, the Austrian pension age plays no role for your permit (see retire in Austria).
How many insurance months do you need for an Austrian pension?
An Austrian old-age pension needs at least 180 insurance months, which is 15 years (§ 4 (1) APG, 2026). Under the pension-account law, at least 84 of them must come from work (§ 4 (1) APG). The social ministry lists this test together with three older ones; which one applies can depend on your date of birth and the pension rules that cover you, so the pension insurance institution (PVA) confirms it (sozialministerium.gv.at):
Months of employment subject to compulsory pension insurance count; a marginal job at or below €551.10 a month (2026) gives accident insurance only unless you insure yourself voluntarily. If you are a salaried employee (Angestellter) in a job subject to compulsory insurance, 10.25 % of your gross pay, up to the maximum contribution base (the 2026 ceiling is given below), goes into pension insurance (ÖGK), and the salary calculator shows the amount. Workers on a Red-White-Red Card or an EU Blue Card in a job subject to compulsory insurance are insured from the day the job starts; the employer registers them with the ÖGK before work begins (oegk.at).
Do years from your home country count in Austria?
Years from your home country count towards an Austrian pension, as a rule, only where Austria has a social security arrangement with that country. That means the EU, EEA and Switzerland under Regulation 883/2004, the UK under its post-Brexit system, and 20 states with a bilateral agreement on pensions (ministry overview, as of 3 August 2026). For other countries, the overview lists no rule that adds foreign years, so ask the pension insurance institution. Which agreements also cover health insurance is shown on social security agreements by country.
| Region | Countries (agreement covers pension insurance) |
|---|---|
| Americas | USA (since 1991), Canada and a separate agreement with Québec, Brazil (since 1 March 2026), Chile, Uruguay |
| Asia and Pacific | India (since 2015), Japan (since 1 December 2025), Republic of Korea, Philippines, Mongolia (since 1 August 2026), Australia |
| Europe outside the EU | Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey |
| Middle East and Africa | Israel, Tunisia (nationals and their family members only) |
| Coordinated by EU rules | EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland; UK under the post-Brexit rules |
The Japan agreement is one example of what an agreement can do. According to the ministry, it adds periods together to reach the minimum and allows benefits to be paid abroad, but “only the Austrian periods” count for the amount of the Austrian pension (sozialministerium.gv.at, our translation). The details differ by agreement; the pension insurance institution (Pensionsversicherungsanstalt, PVA) checks your case when you apply. Our country guides cover India, the USA and the UK.
How is the Austrian pension amount calculated?
The Austrian pension amount is calculated through a pension account. Each year, 1.78 % of your contribution base is credited to it, and at the statutory age the total credit divided by 14 is your monthly gross pension (oesterreich.gv.at, last update 15 April 2026). The account applies to everyone insured who was born on or after 1 January 1955. Contribution bases count only up to the ceiling, €6,930 a month in 2026 (oesterreich.gv.at).
Illustrative example: our arithmetic with the official formula, before the yearly revaluation. Mei, 50, an engineer from Taiwan, earns 4,000 euros gross for 14 payments a year in Linz, which makes a contribution base of 56,000 euros. Each year adds 1.78 % of that, about 997 euros, to her account. After 15 years her account holds about 14,950 euros; divided by 14, that is roughly 1,068 euros gross a month from 65, before revaluation and before any adjustment for early or late retirement. Taiwan is not on the agreement list, so we found no rule that adds her Taiwanese years; the pension insurance institution checks the case.
| Step | Rule | Mei |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Annual contribution base | Gross pay incl. special payments, up to the ceiling | 56,000 euros |
| 2. Yearly credit | Base × 1.78 % | 996.80 euros |
| 3. Total credit | Sum of yearly credits (shown before the yearly revaluation) | 14,952 euros after 15 years |
| 4. Monthly gross pension | Total credit ÷ 14 | 1,068 euros, paid 14 times a year |
Your own account statement is available from the pension insurance institution. How the statutory health system works is on health care in Austria.
Can you retire to Austria on a foreign pension?
A foreign pension can serve as the income for the settlement permit without employment, so you can retire to Austria on it if you meet the permit’s other conditions. For that permit, migration.gv.at lists “Austrian or foreign pensions” as regular income, alongside income from assets and savings (migration.gv.at). In 2026 the income must reach €2,616.78 a month for one person or €4,128.24 for a couple (spouses or registered partners living together), plus €403.76 per child (base amounts; more if regular costs such as rent exceed €386.43, § 11 (5) NAG).
| Question | Official answer |
|---|---|
| Which income counts? | Fixed and regular own income, e.g. Austrian or foreign pensions, income from assets, savings or company shares |
| What proves it? | Certificates of the state pension, pension insurance or other insurance benefits |
| How much in 2026? | €2,616.78 single; €4,128.24 couple (base; + regular costs above €386.43) |
The permit has further conditions (quota, German A1 with legal exemptions, accommodation, health insurance, no work). We keep them in one place, on Austria retirement visa, and the permit itself is explained on Niederlassungsbewilligung. Whether and how Austria taxes a foreign pension is not covered here; ask the tax office before you move (the general tax basics are on taxes in Austria for expats).
Retiring to Austria on your pension?
The settlement permit without gainful employment needs all-risk health insurance that pays in Austria. Compare the insurance routes open to you and their age bands before you apply.
Referral link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you (how we are paid).
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner get an Austrian state pension?
Foreigners can get an Austrian state pension if they meet the conditions: the old-age pension is paid from the statutory pension age (65 for men, rising to 65 for women) once you have enough insurance months — under the pension-account law at least 180, of which at least 84 from work (§ 4 (1) APG; sozialministerium.gv.at). The ministry’s list of conditions names age and insurance months; we found no citizenship condition in it. You must apply — the pension is not paid automatically.
How many years do I need to work in Austria for a pension?
You need at least 15 insurance years, of which at least 7 from work: § 4 (1) of the General Pensions Act (APG) asks for 180 insurance months, of which at least 84 were earned through work (RIS). The social ministry also lists older qualifying tests — 180 insurance months within the last 360 calendar months, 180 contribution months, or 300 insurance months (sozialministerium.gv.at); which test applies can depend on your date of birth, so ask the pension insurance institution (PVA). Months from an EU country or an agreement country can help you reach this minimum (see the table on this page).
Do years worked outside Austria count towards an Austrian pension?
Years worked outside Austria count, as a rule, only from countries Austria coordinates with: the EU, EEA and Switzerland, the UK under its own post-Brexit rules, and the states with a bilateral agreement covering pensions, such as the USA, Canada, Australia, India, Japan, Korea, Brazil and Turkey (ministry overview, August 2026). For other countries the overview lists no rule that adds foreign years, so ask the pension insurance institution (PVA). For the Japan agreement the ministry explains that periods are added together for entitlement, but the Austrian pension amount is calculated only from Austrian periods (sozialministerium.gv.at).
How is the Austrian pension amount calculated?
Your monthly gross Austrian pension at the statutory age is the total credit in your pension account divided by 14; each year, your contribution bases are multiplied by 1.78 % and credited (oesterreich.gv.at). Bases count only up to the ceiling of €6,930 a month in 2026. The account applies to insured people born on or after 1 January 1955.
Does a foreign pension count as income for an Austrian residence permit?
A foreign pension can count as income for the settlement permit without employment, because migration.gv.at lists “Austrian or foreign pensions” as examples of regular income, proven with certificates of the pension or insurance benefit (migration.gv.at). In 2026 the figure is €2,616.78 a month for one person and €4,128.24 for a couple (base; more if regular costs such as rent exceed €386.43, § 11 (5) NAG). The other conditions of that permit are on Austria retirement visa.
Do I have to reach the Austrian pension age to retire to Austria?
Reaching the Austrian pension age is not required for the settlement permit without employment: it contains no age condition (§ 44 NAG); what counts is the income and the other permit conditions. Someone who retired early at home can apply, as long as the pension or other regular income reaches the official figure. Start with retire in Austria.
Can I keep working in Austria after the pension age?
If you keep working beyond the statutory pension age and defer your pension, it rises by 5.1 % for each year, for up to three years (at most 15.3 %) (sozialministerium.gv.at). Whether a residence permit allows work is a separate question — the settlement permit without employment does not.
Official sources
- Social Ministry: old-age pension (Alterspension), for age, insurance months, the application and the deferral bonus (last update 24 June 2026)
- oesterreich.gv.at: pension account (Pensionskonto) (last update 15 April 2026)
- Social Ministry: Austria’s social security agreements at a glance (PDF) (as of 3 August 2026) and Japan agreement announcement
- migration.gv.at: settlement permit income 2026 and § 44 NAG (RIS)
- ÖGK: employee social insurance contribution
- Pensionsversicherungsanstalt (PVA): how your pension is calculated, for pension account statements
How we work: editorial standards · about this site · contact. This page is general information, not pension, tax or legal advice; the pension insurance institution decides your entitlement. Referral links on this site may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you (affiliate disclosure).