Working in a Non-agreement Country
In cases were there is no social security agreement between the countries (for example, Thailand), the national legislation of both the sending and the receiving country is applied.
In such cases, nothing prevents the collection of contributions in both countries (double contributions), and all restrictions that apply to receiving social security apply in both countries. As a result, contributions often have to be paid, at least partly, to both countries, although the social security may be deficient. In many cases, the payment of benefits outside the country’s boarders is also restricted.
Click the headings below for more information on working in countries with which Finland does not have a bilateral social security agreement.
If your Finnish employer posts you to a country with which Finland does not have a social security agreement (for example, Thailand), your employer must insure you under the Finnish earnings-related pension acts for an unlimited period of time. Since there is no bilateral agreement, the country in which you work may also charge insurance contributions.
If your Finnish employer has employed you from abroad to work abroad, your employer is not under obligation to insure you in Finland, even if you are a Finnish citizen. Instead, you need to contact Kela.
The pension insurance obligation does not apply to you if you work in a non-agreement country in an employment relationship with a Finnish company’s foreign subsidiary, sister or parent company.
In the cases mentioned above, the Finnish company may, however, take out voluntary insurance for you in Finland.
When you work in a non-agreement country, we do not issue a certificate for coverage under Finnish social security laws. Instead, you have to apply to the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) to be covered by residence-based social security.
If you go to a non-agreement country (for example, Thailand) to work as a self-employed person, you can keep your insurance under the Self-employed Persons’ Pensions Act valid
- if your self-employment abroad lasts for less than one year, and
- you intend to return to Finland after your one year abroad.
You must terminate your insurance under the Self-employed Persons’ Pensions Act already when you go abroad if you know that you will work abroad for more than one year.
The Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) will issue a decision on your right to residence-based social security during the period that you work in a non-agreement country.
If you go to work as a grant recipient in a non-agreement country (for example, Thailand), you must contact Mela concerning your insurance under the Farmers’ Pensions Act. In these cases, we cannot issue an A1 certificate.
The Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) will issue a decision on your right to residence-based social security during the period that you work in a non-agreement country.
More on other sites:
- Grant and scholarship recipients (The Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution Mela)
Please contact Keva for more information on how to take out insurance for civil servants posted to a country with which Finland has no social security agreement (for example, Thailand).
More on other sites:
- Public sector pensions (Keva)
Read more on Etk.fi:
More on other sites: