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Austria transferred 304,019 pension payments to recipients living abroad in the past year, according to a new parliamentary inquiry response released by the Ministry of Social Affairs. The figures shed light on where former residents — both Austrian citizens and foreign nationals who once worked in Austria — are now spending their retirement years.
Germany remains the dominant destination for Austrian pensions, followed by Switzerland, the USA, Turkey and Australia. At the same time, Serbia, Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina top the list of countries where non‑EU foreign nationals receive Austrian pension payments.
Where Austrian citizens receive their pensions abroad
Of the more than 304,000 payments sent abroad, 59,652 went to Austrian citizens. The overwhelming majority of these retirees live in neighbouring Germany:
- 37,808 payments to Germany
- 6,694 to Switzerland
- 1,597 to the USA
- 1,552 to Turkey
- 1,176 to Australia
- 1,095 to Italy
These numbers reflect long-term migration patterns: many Austrians move to Germany for work or family reasons, while others retire in countries with warmer climates or established expatriate communities.
Germany leads overall — but patterns differ by nationality
Across all nationalities, Germany is the top destination for Austrian pension transfers. This is especially true for retirees from the European Economic Area (EEA), where neighbouring countries dominate:
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Slovenia
- Croatia
- Poland
- Romania
These countries appear prominently due to decades of cross-border labour mobility.
For non‑EEA nationals, Serbia is far ahead
Among third-country nationals, Serbia stands out:
- 22,669 payments to Serbia
- 17,302 to Turkey
- 15,600 to Bosnia-Herzegovina
These figures reflect Austria’s long history of labour migration from the Western Balkans and Turkey, particularly during the 1960s–1980s.
Few Austrian citizens return to Serbia, Turkey or Bosnia
The data also highlights a striking contrast: While tens of thousands of foreign nationals receive Austrian pensions in Serbia, Turkey or Bosnia-Herzegovina, very few Austrian citizens live in these countries.
Examples:
- Serbia: 765 payments to Austrian citizens vs. 22,669 to Serbian nationals
- Turkey: 1,552 payments to Austrian citizens vs. 17,302 to Turkish nationals
- Bosnia-Herzegovina: 365 payments to Austrian citizens vs. 15,600 to Bosnian nationals
This suggests that people who naturalise in Austria rarely move back to their country of origin after retirement.
How much money is sent abroad?
The average pension amounts for retirees living outside Austria are modest:
- Austrian citizens abroad: ~€554 per month
- EEA citizens: ~€308
- Third-country nationals: ~€414
These low figures indicate that many recipients likely worked only short periods in Austria and therefore also receive pensions from other countries.
Only 8,648 retirees abroad received €25,000 or more per year from Austria — roughly €1,786 gross per month. Meanwhile, nearly 200,000 people received less than €4,000 gross per year.
Increase compared to 2024
The number of pension payments sent abroad rose by 1.4% compared to 2024 — a faster increase than the growth of domestic pension recipients. This aligns with demographic trends: more people who once worked in Austria now retire abroad.
Pension increases below inflation
The debate over pensions has been intense in recent months. The government decided that upcoming pension adjustments will be below inflation, a move criticised by experts who argue it will erode purchasing power. For more background, you may want to explore pension increase debates.
- source: 5minuten.at/picture: pixabay.com
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