FAQs - Transferring unemployment benefits

Once you've been registered for 4 weeks, you can apply for a U2 form from the country where you became unemployed. This form authorises you to keep claiming your employment benefit while looking for a job abroad. Once you have the form, give it to the national employment services in your new country.

When you arrive in the new country, register as available for work with the local employment service. To avoid losing any benefit, do this within 7 days from the date on which you ceased to be available to the employment services in the country you left.

To make sure you don't lose any unemployment benefits, you should apply for an extension as early as possible. You must apply before the first 3 months are up.

YES — in all EU countries. Switzerland still applies restrictions on Bulgarian, Croatian and Romanian nationals.

These restrictions may sometimes affect your capacity to transfer unemployment benefits to these countries. If you wish to look for a job there, check first with a European employment advisor Open as an external link which restrictions apply.

YES — as an EU national, you have the same rights as Irish nationals to look for work and to get assistance from the Irish employment office.

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EU legislation

Last checked: 14/12/2023
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