Many Ukrainians currently living and working in Sweden are wondering what will happen to their pensions. Do you earn pension rights while working in Sweden? Do you need to make pension contributions yourself? And what happens to the pension you have earned if you return to Ukraine or move to another country?

These and other questions were discussed during an information session organised by EmpowerHUB, featuring Agneta Claesson, a pension specialist and representative of the Swedish Pensions Agency (Pensionsmyndigheten).

Based on this session, we have prepared an article explaining how the Swedish pension system works, where you can check your pension entitlements, and what you should consider if you do not plan to stay in Sweden permanently.

How Does the Swedish Pension System Work?

The Swedish pension system consists of several components. During the session, the representative from Pensionsmyndigheten explained the system using the pension pyramid (pensionspyramiden).

Allmän pension — National public pension

This is the part of your pension that you earn primarily through work and declared income in Sweden. It includes:

• Inkomstpension — income pension, which depends on the pension-qualifying income you have earned throughout your life.

• Premiepension — a premium pension, a portion of the public pension that is invested in funds.

Tjänstepension — Occupational pension

This is an additional pension funded by your employer's contributions. For many employees, it represents a significant part of their future retirement income.

Privat pensionssparande — Private pension savings

Individuals can also save money independently for retirement. This is a voluntary part of pension provision.

Do You Need to Make Pension Contributions to Pensionsmyndigheten Yourself?

If you work in Sweden and receive declared income, you generally do not need to register separately with Pensionsmyndigheten or transfer money every month to build up your public pension.

Information about your income is provided through the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket).

Pension rights are not earned exclusively through employment income. Certain social security benefits may also count as pension-qualifying income, including:

• Sjukpenning — sickness benefit.

• Föräldrapenning — parental benefit.

• Arbetslöshetsersättning (a-kassa) — unemployment benefit.

Therefore, even if you are not working for a certain period, your pension rights may continue to accumulate if you receive benefits that qualify for pension purposes.

What Is the Orange Envelope from Pensionsmyndigheten?

In Sweden, you may come across the term orange kuvert — the orange envelope.

This is an annual statement from Pensionsmyndigheten containing information about the public pension you have earned.

Receiving this statement does not mean that you need to submit an application or take immediate action regarding your pension.

It provides information about your accumulated pension rights and their value.

However, the amounts shown in the statement should not be interpreted as the monthly pension you will receive in retirement. Your future pension payments depend on several factors, including your future income and the age at which you retire.

Tjänstepension: Why Should You Check Your Employer?

Not all employees in Sweden have the same pension arrangements.

If you work in the public sector, for a municipality, or for a region, employer pension contributions are provided for under the relevant collective agreements (kollektivavtal).

The situation may be different in the private sector.

Most employers provide tjänstepension, but not every private employer is legally required to do so.

Therefore, when starting a new job, it is advisable to check whether your employment includes tjänstepension, which agreement governs it, and which pension provider manages the contributions.

If you have worked for several employers, your occupational pension may be held by different pension providers.

What Happens to Your Pension if You Return to Ukraine?

This was one of the most frequently asked questions during the information session.

If you have worked in Sweden and later return to Ukraine or move to another country, the pension rights you have earned do not disappear.

For example, imagine that someone worked in Sweden for five years before deciding to return to Ukraine.

The pension rights earned during those five years remain in the Swedish pension system.

However, moving abroad does not entitle you to withdraw all your pension funds immediately.

To start receiving your pension, you must reach the applicable retirement age. The minimum age for receiving the national public pension depends, among other things, on your year of birth.

Returning to Ukraine, leaving employment in Sweden, or the expiry of your residence permit does not in itself entitle you to receive your pension early.

Can You Receive a Swedish Pension While Living Abroad?

Yes. The inkomstpension and premiepension you have earned in Sweden can be paid to you even if you no longer live in the country.

This also applies to people who have returned to Ukraine.

However, you must apply to receive your national public pension.

Pension payments do not begin simply because you have reached retirement age.

If you left Sweden many years ago, you would still need to apply for your pension when the time comes. The application procedure may depend on your country of residence.

Certain types of pension benefits, such as garantipension (guaranteed pension), are subject to different conditions, including residence requirements. Therefore, the rules on receiving a Swedish pension abroad do not apply equally to all pension benefits.

What Happens to Your Tjänstepension if You Leave Sweden?

Your occupational pension rights are also preserved.

If your employer has made contributions to your tjänstepension, these pension rights do not disappear when you move to another country.

However, unlike the national public pension administered by Pensionsmyndigheten, occupational pensions may be managed by different pension providers.

For example, you may have worked first for a municipality, then for a private company, and later for another employer. As a result, you may have several separate pension arrangements.

If you plan to leave Sweden, it is advisable to keep information about the pension providers that manage your tjänstepension.

When you reach retirement age, you may need to contact the relevant pension provider to arrange payments.

The earliest age at which payments can begin, as well as other conditions, depends on the specific pension agreement.

What if You Have Worked in Several Countries?

If you have worked in Sweden and other countries during your lifetime, you may have earned pension rights in each of them.

For example, someone may have worked for 10 years in Ukraine, 5 years in Sweden, and another 10 years in a different country.

The pension earned in Sweden remains within the Swedish pension system. Pension rights earned in other countries are determined under the legislation of those countries.

Special rules on the coordination of pension rights apply within the European Union and certain other countries. These rules may affect how periods of employment are taken into account and how pension applications are processed.

Therefore, if you have worked in several countries, you should check the applicable pension procedures based on the countries concerned.

Where Can You Check Your Pension in Sweden?

During the information session, Agneta Claesson demonstrated several digital services that allow individuals to review their pension information.

minPension.se

This service provides an overview of the pension you have earned in Sweden.

You can view information about your national public pension and occupational pensions, including pensions held by different providers.

The service also allows you to estimate your future pension and compare different retirement scenarios.

The official website of the Swedish Pensions Agency provides information about the national public pension, allows you to check your pension rights, and offers guidance on applying for pension payments.

Access to personal digital services generally requires electronic identification.

What Determines the Amount of Your Future Pension?

The amount of your pension in Sweden depends on several factors.

One of the main factors is the income you have earned throughout your life that qualifies for pension purposes.

The length of your working life, whether you have an occupational pension, and the age at which you decide to start receiving your pension also play an important role.

If you start receiving your national public pension earlier, your monthly payments will generally be lower because the pension is calculated to be paid over a longer period.

If you postpone retirement, your monthly pension will generally be higher.

However, the exact amount depends on your individual circumstances.

Can Your Pension Be Inherited?

The rules depend on which part of the pension is involved.

As a general rule, allmän pension is not inherited in the same way as ordinary assets.

However, certain pension arrangements may include special forms of financial protection for surviving family members.

For tjänstepension, it is often possible to select återbetalningsskydd (repayment protection), which allows pension funds to be paid to eligible family members if the insured person dies.

Depending on the pension agreement, beneficiaries may include a spouse, cohabiting partner (sambo), or children.

Having this protection may affect the amount of your own future pension.

Before choosing återbetalningsskydd, it is therefore advisable to review the conditions of your specific pension agreement.

Where Can You Get Help with Pension Questions?

If you have questions about your national public pension, you can contact Pensionsmyndigheten directly.

The agency's official website provides information materials, digital services, and details about information sessions and webinars, including those available in Swedish and English.

When contacting Pensionsmyndigheten, you can also ask whether interpretation assistance is available.

In addition, assistance with certain public pension matters is available at Statens servicecenter (servicekontor), Sweden's government service centres.

What Should You Do Now?

Even if retirement is still many years away, it is useful to check whether you are earning pension rights in Sweden.

This is particularly relevant if you work in the private sector and are unsure whether your employer contributes to tjänstepension.

If you plan to return to Ukraine or move to another country, keep records of your pension rights and the pension providers managing your occupational pension.

The pension you have earned in Sweden does not disappear when you move abroad. Even if you never work in Sweden again, the pension rights you have already earned remain yours.

When you reach retirement age, remember to apply for your pension.

This article was prepared by Help Ukraine Gothenburg (HUG) based on an EmpowerHUB information session featuring Agneta Claesson, a representative of the Swedish Pensions Agency (Pensionsmyndigheten). The article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute individual advice regarding pension entitlements.