The social security agreement between Finland and Australia will take effect on 1 July 2009 The agreement makes it possible to pay the residence-based Australian Age Pension to people living in Finland and the Finnish National Old-Age Pension to people living in Australia. The application process depends on whether the applicant lives in Finland or Australia. By completing the application carefully, applicants can help to speed up the processing of the application.

Finnish earnings-related pensions can already now be awarded to people living in Australia under the Finnish legislation on earnings-related pensions.

The agreement makes it easier to submit applications for national and earnings-related pensions from Finland and Australia, because applicants now have liaison organisations to contact in each country and can use uniform application forms.

Employees posted to Australia from Finland can remain covered by the Finnish legislation on national and earnings-related pensions for up to five years, while paying their pension contributions to the Finnish and not the Australian pension system. Applications for the certificate on coverage by the Finnish social security system should be directed to the Finnish Centre for Pensions.

More information: http://www.kela.fi/in/internet/english.nsf/NET/180609120137PM?OpenDocument