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Am I Eligible for a German Pension Refund as an Australian Citizen?
As an Australian citizen, you can claim a German pension refund if you do not yet qualify for a retirement pension, and you live outside of the European Union.
Under the Social Security Agreement between Germany and Australia, Australian citizens are eligible to claim a refund on their German pension paid contributions if they worked in Germany for less than five years. This includes any period where you received unemployment benefits or maternity/paternity payments.
Additionally, at least 24 months must have passed since the date of your last pension insurance contributions in Germany.
Find Out If You’re Eligible – Free of Charge
If you’re unsure whether you qualify for a pension refund as an Australian citizen, take advantage of our free eligibility check. While some companies require payment for this service, we offer it at no cost. Whether or not you qualify, we’ll provide a clear explanation of your situation.
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Check if you can claim a refund on your German pension insurance contributions today - completely free.
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This service is available exclusively to non-EU citizens
Office building Rentenversicherung, Berlin | The German statutory pension insurance | All Rights Reserved
How does dual citizenship affect my refund?
Australian citizens with an EU passport cannot claim a refund, regardless of whether they have lived or worked in the EU.
Those with a British passport can only claim a refund if they have not worked in the EU/UK/AU or Germany before Brexit.
If they started working only after Brexit, they can claim a refund while holding citizenship in the United Kingdom.
How do I know if I’ve reached 60 months of contributions?
Periods of employment, voluntary contribution, receipt of unemployment benefits, and parenting count towards the 60 months.
The German pension office calculates contributions based on any days that has been worked in a month. So, even if you only worked for one day in say, February, that one day would count as your contributions for the whole of February.
When is it possible to start working in Europe again after applying for a refund?
As an Australian citizen, you can begin working in Europe as soon as you’ve submitted your refund application.
If you are eligible at the date of submission, the processing of your refund will not be affected, even if you start working in Europe before the claim has been finalized.
How much can I expect from my German pension refund?
On average, pension refunds amount to around €11,800, although the actual figure depends on your individual situation. Refundable contributions may include:
• 100% of the pension contributions withheld from your salary during employment in Germany.
• 50% of voluntary contributions, such as those made through contract work.
• Adjustments for contributions that were increased or decreased due to pension equalization following a divorce.
Since 2018, pension contributions have been calculated at a rate of 9.3% of gross earnings, up to a monthly income cap (Beitragsbemessungsgrenze). Currently in 2025, this cap is €8,050, and earnings exceeding this limit are not subject to pension contributions.
What are the fees for claiming my refund?
At Germany Pension Refund, we use a success-based approach. This means you only pay a fee after your claim has been successfully processed.
There are no hidden charges, and you do not need to pay anything up front. Our service fee is 9.75% of the total refunded amount. This includes VAT and any other external legal fees.
Is a German bank account required to receive my refund?
No, a German bank account is not necessary. Refunds are handled through an escrow account managed by a German law firm to provide a secure process.
This approach facilitates quicker transfers while minimizing transaction and currency conversion fees.
Your refund will be deposited directly into your chosen bank account in the currency you prefer.
The account doesn’t have to be based in Germany, and can even be held under someone else’s name.
How quickly can Australian citizens expect to receive a German pension refund?
We know how important it is for you to receive your refund promptly. That’s why our refund process usually only takes around 8 weeks, compared to the 6 months (or more) it takes to process self-submitted claims.
We have a deep understanding of German administrative procedures, so we have simplified the process to make it as fast as possible.
We also work closely with German law firms, who work directly with the German Pension office. These relationships also enable us to speed up the process of your refund.
Claim Your Pension Refund Today
With our streamlined process and professional advice, it takes less than 5 minutes to get started. With an average refund amount of €11,800, there’s nothing to lose.
MAR/21/2025
Fairly priced, friendly, easy, very happy
Incredibly friendly and easy service. Fairly priced as well! After leaving Germany in a hurry during covid, I was dreading the paperwork that was waiting for me... but Germany Pension Refund made it a breeze. Very happy with the result. A big thank you to Julia <3
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Lisa Hung
MAR/03/2025
Took the time to explain, swift responses
Very swift responses and professional service. I would highly recommend their services. Johannes took the time to explain things to me that I did not understand too, appreciate that!
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Mariana Bradea
FEB/22/2025
Highly recommend their excellent service
Using the service of Germany Pension Refund was a smooth, stress free experience. Johannes and the team are highly professional yet kind and understanding to explain the process and support you with extra care and patience at every step. I could not imagine having to face the challenges of getting my pension sorted out without their support and knowledge. I Highly recommend their excellent service.
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Tom Berger
DEC/13/2024
Highly recommended
Great service, communication and outcome. Highly recommended.
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Adam Napoli
DEC/11/2024
Very happy!
Very happy to have worked with Julia and the team for this. The whole process took just over a 3 months, and Julia was always great at responding to my emails and keeping me updated from start to finish. Would recommend!
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Steve W
SEP/24/2024
Exceptional
From the first enquiry email to the final funds delivered email, the service, communication and the process has been exceptional. Well done to Johannes and the team for establishing such a strong business model. Highly recommend.
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Eli McGarvie
SEP/20/2024
Straightforward...they handle everything
The pension return process takes a long time so be prepared to wait. That’s normal for Germany though. But I can say the process was pretty straight forward thanks to these guys, they handle everything and give progress updates all you have to do is wait. Better to go with professionals then deal with the German government which is a nightmare.
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AUG/26/2024
I wouldn't hesitate in recommending their services
A huge thank you to Julia and the team who were able to assist in facilitating my pension refund where I had become bogged down in bureaucracy. (But at least the bureaucracy itself was as efficient as one would expect!)
After a several early attemps made personally, getting discouraged and consquently putting off the process for multiple years, the team at Germany Pension Fund helped make sure all the necessary paperwork was in order, and gave me regular updates throughout the process.
I wouldn't hesitate in recommending their services to friends or family that needed the same kind of assistance.
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AUG/21/2024
Excellent Service
Excellent service and kept me informed all the way through the process. Can’t fault their service.
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Duane McGregor
MAR/06/2024
Complete transparency, great communication, frequent updates and all questions answered...Brilliant service!
Can’t thank them enough! If I’m honest I was skeptical at the start cause I didn’t know much about the company but everything from day one til the final transfer was amazing. Complete transparency, great communication, frequent updates and all questions answered. The process can be lengthy but I was kept updated the whole time. I can’t recommend them enough. Brilliant service!
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Read more about working in Germany and Australia directly from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung.