Possibility for Ukrainian refugees in Germany to receive early retirement eligibility?
In Germany, Ukrainian citizens seeking to claim a pension require a minimum of five years of contributions to the German pension insurance, the DRV, and reaching the legally prescribed retirement age. However, it is important to note that there are no special provisions allowing Ukrainian refugees in Germany to retire at 57.
The German Pension Insurance (DRV) has denied rumors about such provisions, clarifying that the standard retirement age in Germany is 63 or later, with some exceptions based on general German pension rules rather than refugee status.
Ukrainian refugees in Germany benefit from the EU Temporary Protection Directive, which grants welfare and social benefits. Yet, this directive does not include special early retirement or pension age provisions.
Recent political debates focus on adjusting welfare payments for Ukrainian refugees but do not mention altered pension or retirement age rights for them. The existing German pension system allows some early retirement options depending on individual contribution history or disability, but these do not specifically apply as a special rule for Ukrainian refugees.
Exceptions for Ukrainian pension claims in Germany apply only to the very small group of late repatriates recognised under the Federal Expellees Act, who can have their Ukrainian times recognised in Germany under the Foreign Pension Act. Retirement is only possible from age 63 at the earliest for late repatriates, even with the Foreign Pension Act.
It is worth noting that the minimum insurance time does not have to be achieved exclusively in Germany, but can be added across borders with certain countries. However, times worked in Ukraine are not taken into account for pension claims in Germany, as Ukraine is not one of the countries with which Germany has a social security agreement.
In summary, Ukrainian refugees follow the standard German retirement rules, which include earliest regular retirement starting at age 63, not age 57. There is no publicly available evidence that Ukraine-related refugee status grants earlier pension access at 57 years in Germany.
Personal finance for Ukrainian refugees in Germany follows the standard German retirement rules, with the earliest regular retirement possible at 63 years. There are no special provisions enabling Ukrainian refugees to retire at 57, as clarified by the German Pension Insurance (DRV).
