Canadians Can Receive their Pensions in Macedonia

Approximately 200,000 emigrants in Canada are able to realize their rights of pension and disability insurance in line with the Macedonia-Canada social insurance agreement, which enters into force on Tuesday.
Minister of Labor and Social Policy Spiro Ristovski said at today's press conference that the agreement applies to all individuals who achieved insurance or residence periods taken into account when realizing the right of pension in Republic of Macedonia or Canada, in line with the countries' regulations. The accord regulates the calculation of insurance periods in both countries, thus enabling the individual to realize the right for pension.
"The agreement guarantees the payment of pension in the other contracting state, i.e. provides the opportunity for transfer of Canadian pensions in Macedonia, if the beneficiary returns to live in Macedonia", said Ristovski.
The agreement applies to all individuals who worked in both counties, as well as members of their families. The document includes the principle of equal actions towards individuals working at the territory of the other state.
"By the end of 2011, the Government will initiate the conclusion of social insurance agreements with Slovakia, France and New Zealand, alongside ongoing procedures with Italy and Albania. In the coming period, the Government will also work on concluding such agreements with Norway, Sweden, Great Britain, Spain, Uzbekistan and United Arab Emirates", said Minister Ristovski.Republic of Macedonia has concluded social insurance agreement with 18 countries - Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia&Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Montenegro, Australia and Canada - whereas such an agreement with Denmark is in the process of ratification.
"The application of the bilateral social insurance agreements has resulted in 35,000 citizens using pensions from another country. Approximately 13,000 Macedonian nationals use pensions from Germany, over 5,000 from Poland, 8,000 from Serbia, 2,000 from Switzerland, 2,000 from Croatia, 1,000 from Slovenia etc", underlined Ristovski.