Postings abroad

Updated : 12/2012

Family benefits

Which country pays your family benefits?

As an EU national, you can work temporarily in another EU country and remain covered by your home social security system (the system of the country where you usually work).

If you're on a posting, the country from which you've been posted remains responsible for paying your family benefits.

Sample story

Moving abroad doesn't necessarily mean losing entitlements from your home country

Lisa and Ole from Sweden have the chance to spend 2 years in Holland if Ole takes up a posting there. But Lisa wants him to turn it down because she's pregnant and — unlike Sweden — Holland does not have a child-raising allowance.

However, because Lisa works in Sweden and has social security cover there, there's no problem. The couple can move to Holland after the birth and still receive Swedish benefits — the fact that she's in Holland during her maternity leave does not affect this entitlement (as long as her Swedish employment contract remains valid).

Applying for benefits

You can apply for family benefits in any country where you or your children's other parent are entitled to benefits. The authority where you applied will forward your application to all countries that are responsible for your case.

If you apply in due time with one authority, you're considered to have applied in time for benefits throughout the whole EU. You can't be deprived of your entitlements if the country where you applied forwarded your files too late to the responsible authority in another country.

In case of problems, you can call on our assistance services.

Sample story

Your benefits depend on where you are resident

Lionel from France has been posted to Malta for 1 year and taken an apartment there. His wife and son have remained in France. Under French law, families with one child don't get any child benefits.

Lionel applied for family benefits in Malta, claiming he was resident there — but the Maltese authorities dismissed his application because he was only there on a temporary basis.

National social security systems differ greatly within Europe — misunderstandings could have serious consequences for you.

Find out about family benefits in your host country:

National benefits systems by country

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