Can I get my pension contributions back when I leave a country?

In some countries, on conditions, and some set a time limit. Germany sets conditions: DRV states that contributions can be refunded on application only when compulsory insurance in the German pension scheme no longer applies, at least 24 calendar months have passed since leaving compulsory insurance, and there is no entitlement to voluntary insurance in the German scheme (Source: deutsche-rentenversicherung.de, read 1 September 2026). Japan sets a clock: A person who has lost insured status under the public pension system can apply for the lump sum withdrawal payment only within two years of the day they last lost that insured status (Source: nenkin.go.jp, read 1 September 2026). In Japan, a refund also has a price in years, as the row further down states. Our Cross-Border Pension Deadline Register holds 13 rows of the type contribution refund window, across 11 countries, and further rows on lump sums paid when someone leaves for good.

Which countries pay out when I leave?

• Switzerland. Nationals of countries with no Swiss social security agreement can apply for the AHV contribution refund (Rueckverguetung) once they are permanently settled abroad (Source: zas.admin.ch, read 1 September 2026).
• South Korea. An entitled foreigner must apply for the National Pension lump sum refund within five years of becoming entitled, normally the date of departure (Source: nps.or.kr, read 4 October 2026). NPS pays a lump sum refund only where your country grants Korean nationals an equivalent benefit, or an agreement covering lump sum refunds exists, or you held an E-8, E-9 or H-2 visa (Source: nps.or.kr, read 4 October 2026).
• Indonesia. JHT (Jaminan Hari Tua) is paid out in full as a lump sum when the participant leaves Indonesian territory for good (among the other triggers: age 56, resignation or termination while not working anywhere, total permanent disability, death) (Source: bpjsketenagakerjaan.go.id, read 1 September 2026).
• Malaysia. KWSP's Leaving Country Withdrawal page gives this timing instruction under its Expatriate applicant category: expatriates should apply two months before the expiry of the work permit, termination of contract by the employer, or the date of resignation (Source: kwsp.gov.my, read 1 September 2026).
• Hong Kong. Permanent departure is a once-ever door: the MPFA states that members who have previously withdrawn on that ground will not be paid MPF again for all subsequent applications on the same grounds with a later departure date (Source: mpfa.org.hk, read 3 October 2026).
• New Zealand. A permanent emigration withdrawal cannot be made until one year after departure, and Inland Revenue states you cannot take out the government contributions (Source: ird.govt.nz, taxtechnical.ird.govt.nz, workandincome.govt.nz, read 4 October 2026).
• South Africa. SARS requires that you ceased to be a South African tax resident for an uninterrupted period of three years or longer before your retirement interest can be paid out early, and the clock starts the day residence ended (Source: sars.gov.za, read 4 October 2026).

What does a refund cost in years?

• Japan. Separately, a departing foreign worker with six months or more can apply for a Lump sum Withdrawal Payment. Accepting it forfeits every Japanese coverage period behind it, permanently, including for aggregation under an agreement (Source: nenkin.go.jp, read 4 October 2026).
• Vietnam. Article 5 of the 2024 Law states that time already paid out as a one-off payment is never counted again (Source: baohiemxahoi.gov.vn, read 4 October 2026).

In these two systems, a refund and a later pension from the same years do not sit together.

Where do I see the rule for one country?

On that country's deadline page, linked from the register, and on our pension questions pages, which answer the refund question for single countries from official sources. The country hubs for the examples above: Germany, Japan, Switzerland, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa and Vietnam.

Our free pension checker and our free map start from your own work history. Our pension questions pages answer single country questions, our authority answers publish what national pension institutions told us in writing, and our monthly data release publishes our agreement routes and deadline rows as CSV, each with its source and read date.

Frequently asked questions

Is a refund available in every country? No. The rows above set conditions by nationality, agreement, visa, residence or time, and each country's deadline page shows the rows we hold for it.

Should I take a refund or wait for a pension? That is a decision we do not advise on. We identify and research, and set out each rule with its source and read date.

Sources

• Deadline register row de-16, citing deutsche-rentenversicherung.de, read 1 September 2026.
• Deadline register row ch-2, citing zas.admin.ch, read 1 September 2026.
• Deadline register row jp-3, citing nenkin.go.jp, read 1 September 2026.
• Japan, pension portals directory entry, citing nenkin.go.jp, read 4 October 2026.
• Deadline register row kr-oct4-lump, citing nps.or.kr, read 4 October 2026.
• South Korea, pension portals directory entry, citing nps.or.kr, read 4 October 2026.
• Deadline register row id-5, citing bpjsketenagakerjaan.go.id, read 1 September 2026.
• Deadline register row my-1, citing kwsp.gov.my, read 1 September 2026.
• Hong Kong, pension portals directory entry, citing mpfa.org.hk, read 3 October 2026.
• New Zealand, pension portals directory entry, citing ird.govt.nz, taxtechnical.ird.govt.nz, workandincome.govt.nz, read 4 October 2026.
• South Africa, pension portals directory entry, citing sars.gov.za, read 4 October 2026.
• Vietnam, pension portals directory entry, citing baohiemxahoi.gov.vn, read 4 October 2026.