International mobility and social security

In which country do I participate in the social security and what happens to my accrued rights?

Generally you participate in the social security system of the country in which you work. However there are exceptions to this rule, for example if you are a frontierworker, posted by a foreign country to a Dutch country or only in the Netherlands for a short period (max of three months). In Social security treaties it is laid down in which country you are participating in the social security system. Furthermore in these treaties it is laid down what happens to your accrued rights on social security.

Social security treaty countries

For the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, the agreements are laid down in two regulations (Regulation 1408/71 and 574/72). With other countries so-called bilateral social security treaties have been signed. These countries are:

• Australia
• Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Canada
• Cape Verde
• Chile
• Croatia
• Cyprus (Turkish part)
• India
• Israel
• Japan
• Macedonia
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• New Zealand
• Serbia
• South-Korea
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• United States of America
• Uruguay

With a few of these countries also agreements have been made about health care insurance.

To which countries can I export my social security benefits?

The Netherlands has concluded treaties solely about the payment of benefits in foreign countries and the control hereon. From 1 January 2006 Dutch benefits can only be received abroad when there is an underlying treaty named Beu-verdrag (beperking export uitkeringen / Limitation export benefits). Beu-treaties have been signed with the following countries:
 
All EU and EEA countries

• Argentina
• Aruba
• Australia
• Belize
• Bolivia
• Bosnia
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Canada
• Cape Verde
• Chile
• Costa Rica 
• Croatia
• Dutch Antilles
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• Gambia
• Hong Kong
• Indonesia
• Israel
• Jordan
• Mali
• Morocco
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• New-Zealand
• Pakistan
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Philippines
• Quebec
• Serbia
• South-Africa
• South-Korea
• Suriname
• Switzerland
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• United States of America
• Uruguay

The agreements can differ per country. In many countries all beu-benefits can be received. However in some countries the ZW, Waz, AKW and sometimes also the WIA and WAO are excluded. The UVW and the SVB can tell you which benefits can be received in a country. With Pakistan a treaty has been concluded which only allows the export of the AOW for married people.

More treaties are scheduled to be concluded. If you are looking for information about a country not mentioned above, ask UWV or the SVB whether a benefit can be paid to that specific country.

UWV
organisation in charge of employee insurance schemes (WW, WAO, ZW)
www.uwv.nl
You can phone them on: +31 113 75 03 50 (outside NL), or 0900-92 94 (from within NL)

SVB
The organisation in charge of national insurance schemes (AOW, AKW, Anw, AWBZ)
www.svb.nl. You can email or phone them on: +31 (0)20-656 5656

(source: www.kenniskring.nl)