Which country’s social security system are you covered by?
Being covered by the social security of a country means that the rules of that country will apply to you in certain areas, and that this country will be financially responsible for bearing the cost of such benefits as:
- Unemployment insurance
- Pension
- Sickness benefit
- Child benefit
- Health services
- Parental benefit
- Occupational illness compensation
- Social security payments in the case of death
There are many situations in which you should pay special attention – for example if you move to another country, work in a country other than the one in which you live, or work for an employer in another country.
You and your employer typically have to pay social security contributions in the country whose social security you are covered by. The way in which this is done varies greatly between the Nordic countries. If you work in two countries, this may mean that your employer in one country is obliged to pay social security contributions to the other country.
The rules governing which country’s social security system you are covered by apply in all EU and EEA countries and in Switzerland. In certain situations, the rules may also apply in the UK, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Which country’s social security system are you covered by?
As a general rule, you are covered by social insurance in the country in which you work. If you are unemployed, you are usually covered by social insurance in the country in which you live. However, there are many situations to which you need to pay special attention, in particular if you start work in a new job in another country, or if you move to another country, or if your life situation changes – for example if you become a pensioner.
Below, you will find information about social security in a number of different situations. The list is not exhaustive, and there may often be special circumstances that apply in your particular situation. You should therefore always contact the relevant authorities for specific information.
What does “place of work” mean?
Your place of work is the country in which you physically perform your work.
What does “country of residence” mean?
The social security authorities consider your country of residence to be the country in which you normally live. In this connection, it is not just your officially registered address that is taken into account, but also your housing situation, where your family lives, etc.
NB!
The information on this page does not cover all situations. It is therefore important that you contact the social security authorities in the countries where you live, work, study or carry on business, or from which you receive social benefits, in order to ensure that you are properly insured.
If you live and work in the same country, you are socially insured by the social security system of that country, unless you have been posted abroad and have applied to the social security authority of another country to remain socially insured there.
If you are posted abroad to another Nordic country by your employer, you can obtain an A1 certificate documenting that you are covered by the social security of the country from which you have been posted, as long as the expected duration of your posting does not exceed 24 months.
If you live in one country and work exclusively in another, you are covered by the social security of the country in which you work.
An exception to this is if your employer posts you abroad to another Nordic country. In this situation you can obtain an A1 certificate documenting that you are covered by the social security of the country from which you have been posted, provided that the expected duration of your posting does not exceed 24 months.
If you work in two countries and live in one of them, you are covered by the social system of the country in which you live, provided that at least 25% of your work takes place there. If you work less than 25% in the country where you live, the domicile of your employer or employers determines which country’s social security system you are covered by.
If you are employed as a civil servant, you are covered by the social security of the country of the administration that employs you. This applies irrespective of where you are employed.
Even if you work in two countries, you can only be covered by the social security system of one country at a time. You can apply for an A1 certificate from the social security authority of the country where you live, in order to determine which country’s social security legislation applies to you, and which country you should pay social security contributions to.
Denmark and Sweden have entered into the Øresund Agreement, under which you can work up to 50% in the country where you live if you are employed in the private sector and work for the same employer in both Denmark and Sweden.
If you live in one Nordic country and work permanently from home for an employer based in another Nordic country, your employer must ensure that you are covered by social security in your country of residence.
If you work for an employer in another Nordic country and perform at least 25% of your work in your country of residence, you are generally covered by the social security system in your country of residence. If you work in more than two countries, you should contact the social security authority in your country of residence to make sure you are correctly registered and administered.
If you work temporarily from home for a foreign employer from another Nordic country, you may be deemed a posted worker. If so, you can obtain an A1 certificate documenting your right to remain covered by the social security of the country from which you have been posted. You can be issued with the certificate if the expected duration of your work abroad does not exceed 24 months.
Finland, Sweden and Norway have signed the EU Framework Agreement on Cross-border Telework. In special cases, the agreement makes it possible for you as an employee to remain socially insured in your country of work if you remotely work less than 50% in your country of residence and more than 50% in the country of your employer. It is a prerequisite that both of the countries where the work is carried out are signatories of the EU Framework Agreement on Cross-border Telework.
Denmark and Sweden have entered into the Øresund Agreement, under which you can work up to 50% in the country where you live if you are employed in the private sector and work for the same employer in both Denmark and Sweden.
If you are employed by a temp agency or work across borders, either for the same employer or for different employers, it is important that you contact the social security authorities in the country in which you live so that you can find out which country’s rules apply to you.
If you are posted abroad to another Nordic country by your employer, you can obtain an A1 certificate documenting that you are covered by the social security of the country from which you have been posted, as long as the expected duration of your posting does not exceed 24 months.
If you work exclusively as a pilot or cabin crew member in passenger or cargo aircraft, you are as a general rule socially insured in the country where you have your home base.
If you are posted abroad to another Nordic country by your employer, you can obtain an A1 certificate documenting that you are covered by the social security of the country from which you have been posted, as long as the expected duration of your posting does not exceed 24 months.
If you are an employee or self-employed and work on board a ship, you are as a general rule covered by the social security system of the country whose flag the ship is flying.
However, if you are an employee and receive a salary from an employer in the same country as the one in which you live, you will as a general rule be covered by the social security system of the country you live in.
If you are posted abroad to another Nordic country by your employer, you can obtain an A1 certificate documenting that you are covered by the social security of the country from which you have been posted, as long as the expected duration of your posting does not exceed 24 months.
If you are self-employed, you are usually covered by the social security system of the country in which you operate your business.
If you operate in several countries, but more than 25 percent in the country where you live, you are covered by the social security legislation of the country in which you live.
If you operate your business in several countries, but less than 25 percent in the country in which you live, you are covered by the social security legislation of the country in which you primarily conduct your business.
You should apply for an A1 certificate from the social security authority in the country where you live, stating which country’s social security system you are covered by and to which country social security contributions should be paid.
If you are a student and not in employment, you should contact the social security authorities to clarify which country’s social security system you are covered by. As a general rule this will be the social security system of the country in which you are permanently resident, but the authorities may also emphasise where your income comes from, e.g. your student grant.
If you are in receipt of a Finnish grant for research or artistic activity, special rules apply. You can read more about this on the page ‘Researchers and grant recipients in Finland’ or at the website of the Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution (Mela).
As a rule you are covered by health insurance in the country in which you live, and are entitled to health care there under the same conditions as other residents.
If you receive a retirement pension or early retirement pension exclusively from another Nordic country, you should apply for the European Health Insurance Card in the country that pays your pension, as it is the pension country that pays your healthcare expenses.
If you receive part of your retirement pension or early retirement pension from the Nordic country in which you live, you can apply for the European Health Insurance Card from your country of residence.
Contact the social security authorities for more information about what applies in your particular situation.
If you receive, for example, unemployment benefit or parental benefit from a country other than the one in which you live, you will as a general rule be covered by the social security system of the country that pays the benefit. You should contact the social security authorities to clarify this.
If a couple are covered by the social security system of two different countries and have children or are expecting children, special rules apply to child benefit and parental benefit.
If you are in doubt about what applies in your situation, you should contact the social security authorities in the countries in which you live and work.
Right to healthcare services
If you live in one Nordic country and work in another, you are entitled to healthcare in the country in which you live, and in most cases also in the country where you work.
This can also in some cases apply if you receive a pension or other benefits from another country. You can read more on the Info Norden pages about the right to healthcare in the Nordic countries.
If you live or work in an EU or EEA country outside the Nordic region, or in Switzerland or the UK, you may need to apply for an S1 document. You can read about this in Your Europe.
Who should you contact if you have questions?
More information
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.