Will I lose my pension if I move to another country?

Asked by: Keaton Balistreri  |  Last update: September 13, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (61 votes)

You generally will not lose your private workplace or personal pension if you move abroad, as these funds belong to you. However, moving to another country can impact how your pension is taxed, the currency value of payments, and your ability to transfer funds. State pensions are usually portable but may be frozen depending on the destination country.

How long can I stay overseas without losing my pension?

Services Australia outlines the following: If you're overseas for up to 6 weeks — Generally, your pension payments will continue as normal if you're travelling for less than 6 weeks. If you're overseas for more than 6 weeks — Once you reach 6 weeks, your pension supplement will drop to the basic rate.

How long can I stay abroad without losing my retirement benefits?

If you leave the U.S., we will stop your benefits the month after the sixth calendar month in a row that you are outside the country. You can make visits to the United States for specific periods of time, depending on how long you've been outside, to continue receiving your benefits.

Can I collect my pension if I live in another country?

If you have lived or worked in Canada and in another country, or you are the survivor of someone who has lived or worked in Canada and in another country, you may be eligible for pensions and benefits from Canada and/or from the other country because of a social security agreement.

Can you collect retirement and live in another country?

If you earned Social Security benefits, you can visit or live in most foreign countries and still receive payments. Look up the country on the Payments Abroad Screening Tool to find out if you can collect your Social Security payments or survivor benefits.

What happens to my UK pension when I move abroad? | Harrison Brook

43 related questions found

Can I live abroad and still get my pension?

If you live part of the year abroad

You must choose which country you want your pension to be paid in. You cannot be paid in one country for part of the year and another for the rest of the year.

Can I get the pension if I move overseas?

Age Pension Portability

The full amount of age pension that a person is eligible for is payable while overseas for 26 weeks. However, once overseas for longer than 26 weeks, the amount of age pension payable to a person is dependent upon the person's length of residency in Australia.

Do I lose my old age pension if I leave Canada?

Leaving or returning to Canada

Your Old Age Security (and Guaranteed Income Supplement) may stop if you're away for more than 6 months and don't qualify for receiving your payments while outside Canada.

What happens if you stay out of Canada for more than 6 months?

In actual fact, you can be absent from Canada as long as you want. The Canadian government recognizes that citizens may travel extensively, work or study abroad. You will always maintain your Canadian citizenship. What absentia may affect is your Canadian health care coverage and income tax.

Can I get the pension and live overseas?

Going to live overseas

If you get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension and plan to live overseas, you must apply to keep these payments going. You need to meet certain criteria and how much you get depends on which country you're going to live in.

How long can you leave the country without it affecting your benefits?

If you're entitled to Universal Credit when you go abroad, you can continue to get it for up to 6 months.

How long can you go overseas before you lose your pension?

If you receive New Zealand Superannuation (NZ Super) or Veteran's Pension and plan to go overseas for 26 weeks or less, you may also need to let Work and Income know. If you're planning to go overseas for more than 26 weeks, you must meet certain criteria and apply to keep receiving your payments.

Can you transfer pension to another country?

Yes, transfers can be made from The People's Pension to a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) at your request. A 25% overseas transfer charge applies to certain transfers from a: registered pension scheme to a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS)

Which country has the best aged pension?

Which Countries Have the Most Sustainable Pension Systems? Iceland, Denmark, and the Netherlands have the most financially sustainable pension systems due to well-balanced contribution rates and participation.

Can I receive my pension if I live abroad?

If your State Pension is paid into an international account, you'll receive it in your local currency. This means the amount you'll get depends on the exchange rate at the time.

What happens to my pension if I quit Canada?

You have several options: Transfer the accumulated funds to a Locked-In Retirement Account (LIRA). When you retire, the funds can be transferred to a Life Income Fund (LIF) so you can make withdrawals. Transfer the funds to your new employer's pension plan.

Do you lose your pension if you move to another country?

Can my state pension be paid abroad? Provided you've paid enough national insurance contributions to qualify for it, you can still claim your state pension if you live abroad.

How long can I get pension if I live overseas?

These agreements help retirees access government retirement benefits without interruptions when they move abroad. If you do not meet the 20-year threshold, OAS payments will stop if you are outside of Canada for more than six months after the month you leave.

What are the disadvantages of a pension?

Pensions have disadvantages like lack of portability (hard to move between jobs), limited control (you can't pick investments), inflation risk (payments don't always keep pace with rising costs), and reliance on the employer's financial health, which can put benefits at risk if the company struggles, though the PBGC offers some protection. They also offer less flexibility for accessing funds early and have seen declining availability in the private sector, pushing more into less-guaranteed 401(k)s. 

How to avoid losing Social Security benefits?

Consider working in retirement

Doing so can help push back your claim and earn you a bigger benefit. With that said, know the SSA sets yearly earnings limits—the dollar amount you're allowed to earn before your monthly Social Security payment is temporarily reduced—if you work before hitting your full retirement age.