You are not entitled to a pension in the Netherlands during your asylum procedure

Last updated: 28/10/2024, 10:02

Are you an asylum seeker and will soon turn 67? Or are you already 67 or older? Then you are at the age where people in the Netherlands get a pension. But because you have just arrived in the Netherlands, you are not entitled to a pension. You do get living allowance.

This is how pensions work in the Netherlands

From a certaom age, you stop working in the Netherlands. You then retire. When this is depends on your year of birth. But is currently usually from 67 years. From then on, you will receive money every month from the government to live on. This is called an

AOW benefit

. It is paid by the

Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB)

You automatically save for an AOW benefit for every year that you live in the Netherlands. Therefore, if you do not live in the Netherlands, you do not save for your AOW.

In addition to your AOW, in the Netherlands you often save for your pension by working. You and your employer put money aside each month for your pension. This is called a pension plan. Your employer does not have to do this. If you do not build up a pension, you will only be entitled to AOW when you retire.

Not everyone who retires receives the same amount. If you have not lived in the Netherlands all your life, you will still receive an AOW benefit. But the amount you receive will be lower. Only if you have lived in the Netherlands for 50 years will you receive the full amount. How much pension you will receive through your work depends on the agreements you made with your work. And on the level of your income when you were working. So everyone will get a different amount for pension in the Netherlands.

These pension rules do not apply if you are still in the asylum procedure and have not lived in the Netherlands for long

Are you 67 or older and still waiting for a decision in your asylum procedure? Then you are not entitled to a pension because you have not lived or worked in the Netherlands. You are, however, entitled to living allowance.

Living allowance and eating money for when you have sought asylum in the Netherlands

If you are still waiting for a decision on your asylum procedure and living in a reception centre, you will receive money from the Dutch government every week for food and living. You get this money every week from staff at your reception centre.

More information

Do you need more money than your living allowance and are 67 or older? Then you may be entitled to the

supplementary income support for the elderly (AIO)

through the

Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB)

. This is a type of benefit; you can also go to work. You can still work in the Netherlands if you are 67 or older, and have been in the Netherlands for more than 6 months.

From the time you work in the Netherlands you usually do save for your pension

Do you have a

W-document

for a year and work in the Netherlands? Then you are probably saving for a pension through your work, regardless of your age. Even if you are 67 and working, you can save for retirement.

Are you younger than 67 and have you been in the Netherlands for more than 6 months? Then you will get a

Citizen Service Number (BSN)

and a W-document. From then on, you automatically save for your AOW because you officially live in the Netherlands from then on. For every year you are in the Netherlands before you turn 67, you build up 2% of the total amount.

You are not entitled to a pension in the Netherlands during your asylum procedure

This is how pensions work in the Netherlands

These pension rules do not apply if you are still in the asylum procedure and have not lived in the Netherlands for long

Living allowance and eating money for when you have sought asylum in the Netherlands

From the time you work in the Netherlands you usually do save for your pension

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