Working abroad as civil servant

Updated : 12/2012

Benefits

If you are a civil servant in one EU country but are seconded to work in another (in an embassy, consulate or other official institution abroad), you are covered by the social security system of the country which employs you.

This means that the legislation of the country that employs you governs your benefits: sickness, maternity and paternity, invalidity, old-age, survivors, accidents at work, occupational diseases, death grants, unemployment (if you apply for benefits there), early-retirement and family.

Medical treatment

You are entitled to medical treatment in the country where you live. For this purpose, you will need to request an S1 form (former E 106 form) from your health-insurance provider in the country which employs you and submit it to a provider in the country where you work.

Social security systems differ very much within Europe.

Unemployment benefits

Where to apply for benefits

If you become wholly unemployed, you can choose to receive unemployment benefits in the country where you live and worked or in the country which employed you, by registering with the employment services in either country. If you decide to apply for benefits in the country of employment, you will have to go back to that country.

If you decide to apply for benefits in the country where you live and worked, you may ask the national employment service in the country that employed you for a U1 form (former E 301 form), and submit it to the national employment service in the country where you are applying for benefits. If you don't submit this document to the authority dealing with your claim, it will get the necessary information from the other countries directly.

Your benefits will be calculated in accordance with the rules in the country where you register as a jobseeker, taking account of any periods you have worked abroad.

See also:

• Looking for work abroad – transferring unemployment benefits

Entitlement to unemployment benefit varies in different countries

Unemployment benefits in the EU are determined by the law of the different EU countries. This means that you might be entitled to 24 months unemployment benefit in your home country but to only 12 months in another.

You should compare the benefits payable in each country, paying special attention to:

• the required periods of work for receiving unemployment benefit
• the applicable rates for calculating benefits and
• the duration of the benefits.

Necessary forms

For a successful transition between social security systems, you might need the following forms:

Access to health insurance

S1 form (former E 106 form): certificate of entitlement to healthcare for you and your family when you are living outside the country where you are insured. You can get it from the health insurance authority in the country that employs you, and you should submit it to a health insurance authority in the country where you live.

Unemployment

If you become unemployed and wish to apply for unemployment benefits in the country where you now live:

U1 form (former E 301 form) — statement of insurance periods to be considered when calculating unemployment benefits. Get it from the national employment service in the countr(ies) where you have worked and submit it to the national employment service in the country where you want to apply for benefits. If you don't submit this document to the authority dealing with your claim, it will get the necessary information from other countries electronically.

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