What to Do with Taiwan's Labor Insurance, Labor Pension, and National Pension After Emigration? Can Old-Age Benefits Be Claimed? Impact of Household Registration Removal
Direct answer: Consider three separate funds. ① Labor Insurance old-age benefits: accumulated years and claiming rights are not lost due to emigration; you can still claim when eligible (statutory claiming age gradually increases from 60 to 65); those whose household registration is removed due to being abroad for over 2 years can continue receiving by submitting identity documents annually. ② Labor Pension personal account: the money is yours, claimable at age 60. ③ National Pension: based on household registration; removal suspends coverage, but those who have participated can still claim the old-age pension at age 65. The following is organized according to Bureau of Labor Insurance regulations; individual cases are subject to the competent authority.
First, distinguish three types: Labor Insurance, Labor Pension, and National Pension are not the same.
Taiwan's retirement-related social insurance is often conflated, but they are three separate funds: ① Labor Insurance 'old-age benefits' — insured during employment, paid based on insurance years; ② Labor Pension 'personal account' — employers contribute at least 6% monthly to your account, the money is yours; ③ National Pension — mandatory for citizens with household registration who are not covered by occupational insurance. After emigration, the status and claiming conditions for these three differ; they must be reviewed separately and cannot be dismissed with a simple 'lost upon emigration.'
Source.：Bureau of Labor Insurance, Ministry of Labor — Eligibility for Old-Age Benefits
Labor Insurance Old-Age Benefits: Years and Rights Not Lost by Emigration
Labor Insurance old-age benefits depend on 'insurance years and claiming age,' not on whether you are in Taiwan. The statutory claiming age has been gradually raised from 60 (when implemented in 2009) to a maximum of 65. Accumulated years and claiming rights are not extinguished by emigration. For those already receiving monthly benefits whose household registration is removed due to being abroad for over 2 years, as long as they submit identity verification documents to the Bureau of Labor Insurance annually for review, they can continue receiving monthly benefits. Documents can be verified by Taiwan's overseas missions and mailed in.
Labor Pension Personal Account: The Money Is Yours, Claimable at Age 60
The 'personal retirement account' under the new Labor Pension system is money contributed by employers over the years and belongs to the individual worker; it does not disappear upon resignation or emigration. At age 60, you can claim it: if contribution years are 15 or more, you may choose a monthly pension or a lump sum; if less than 15 years, you receive a lump sum. This is separate from Labor Insurance old-age benefits. Before emigrating, you can check your account balance and contribution years.
Source.：Ministry of Labor — Labor Pension Personal Account
National Pension: Based on Household Registration; Removal Suspends Coverage but Rights Are Preserved
National Pension is based on 'having household registration in Taiwan.' Therefore, when household registration is removed due to being abroad for over 2 years, you can no longer participate or pay premiums. However, 'accumulated years' are not wasted: those who have participated can still claim the old-age pension upon reaching age 65. Those who have removed household registration due to emigration must submit identity and related documents when claiming, and re-submit them annually to the Bureau of Labor Insurance for review. Household registration interacts with National Health Insurance, National Pension, and tax domicile (see also this site's 'Can I keep Taiwan's National Health Insurance after emigration?'), so it is advisable to evaluate them together.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I emigrate, are the Labor Insurance premiums I paid previously wasted?
No. Labor Insurance old-age benefits are based on insurance years and the claiming age (gradually increasing from 60 to 65). Accumulated years and claiming rights are not lost due to emigration. For those already receiving monthly benefits whose household registration is removed due to being abroad for over 2 years, they can continue receiving benefits by submitting identity verification documents to the Bureau of Labor Insurance annually.
Can the money in the Labor Pension personal account still be claimed after emigration?
Yes, you can claim it. The Labor Pension personal account under the new system is your money; you can claim it at age 60: if contribution years are 15 or more, you may choose a monthly pension or a lump sum; if less than 15 years, you receive a lump sum. It is separate from Labor Insurance old-age benefits.
What happens to National Pension after household registration is removed?
National Pension is based on having household registration in Taiwan; if household registration is removed, you can no longer participate or pay premiums. However, accumulated years are not wasted; those who have participated can still claim the old-age pension at age 65. Those who have removed household registration due to emigration must submit identity documents and re-submit them annually to the Bureau of Labor Insurance for review.
How to apply for and receive old-age benefits while abroad?
You can apply for verification of identity or residence documents through Taiwan's overseas missions and mail them to the Bureau of Labor Insurance for review; benefits will continue as normal. Those already receiving monthly benefits generally need to submit verification documents annually. Actual documents and procedures are subject to Bureau of Labor Insurance regulations.
What is the difference between Labor Insurance, Labor Pension, and National Pension?
Labor Insurance is an occupational insurance during employment (old-age benefits based on years of coverage); Labor Pension is the retirement fund contributed by employers to your personal account (the money is yours, claimable at age 60); National Pension is mandatory insurance for those without occupational insurance and with household registration in Taiwan. These are three different systems with separate funds; after emigration, they must be reviewed individually.
Should National Health Insurance, Labor Insurance pension, and tax domicile be considered together?
It is advisable to consider them together. They are all linked to 'household registration' and 'actual residence,' but with different rules (for National Health Insurance, see this site's 'Can I keep Taiwan's National Health Insurance after emigration?'; for tax domicile, see 'Am I still a Taiwan tax resident after investment migration?'). When planning emigration, evaluating social insurance, National Health Insurance, and tax together prevents overlooking one aspect.
Official data sources
- Bureau of Labor Insurance, Ministry of Labor — Eligibility for Old-Age Benefits
- Bureau of Labor Insurance, Ministry of Labor — Impact of Household Registration Removal Due to Overseas Stay Over 2 Years on Old-Age Pension
- Ministry of Labor — Labor Pension Personal Account
- Ministry of Health and Welfare — National Pension Rights for Those with Household Registration Removed Due to Overseas Stay Over 2 Years
This page is a neutral information compilation, for reference only, notImmigration/LawAdvice, which does not constitute any commitment. Programs frequently change, please refer to the latest official announcements. · Last Updated：