What happens when "resident aliens" retire?
December 1, 2005 1:39 PM Subscribe
When people who have worked all or most of their lives in a country in which they are not a citizen - I'm thinking of European countries like Switzerland that have very restrictive citizenship rules - are they typically eligible for government retirement benefits and state health care?
Yes, assuming you were present and working legally. No, if you weren't. Some countries also have interesting sorts of cross-border retirement plan agreements: Canadian citizen works in U.S. for many years (paying into Social Security), retires back in Canada (drawing from Canada Pension Plan) - he can get credit for the time worked in the U.S., increasing his Canadian pension. You'd have to investigate the specifics for the two countries involved.
posted by jellicle at 3:59 PM on December 1, 2005
posted by jellicle at 3:59 PM on December 1, 2005
Short answer (for Switzerland): Yes.
In Switzerland, you have to pay for the benefits you eventually get. The system is rather complicated, but explained in great detail here (.pdf). You do not have to be a citizen of Switzerland to be entitled to get the benefits - you actually just have to pay for them during your work time. There are also a number of social secruity agreements (between Switzerland and other countries).
posted by m.openmind at 7:07 AM on December 2, 2005
In Switzerland, you have to pay for the benefits you eventually get. The system is rather complicated, but explained in great detail here (.pdf). You do not have to be a citizen of Switzerland to be entitled to get the benefits - you actually just have to pay for them during your work time. There are also a number of social secruity agreements (between Switzerland and other countries).
posted by m.openmind at 7:07 AM on December 2, 2005
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Canada has "landed immigrant" status, the US has "green cards", I assume that Switzerland has something similar.
As a Canadian landed immigrant you get pretty much all the same rights and privileges except you can't vote (and other stuff I dunno - maybe hold public office). But we're not exactly Switzerland.
posted by GuyZero at 2:18 PM on December 1, 2005