Most countries build a public pension from work done inside their borders. A remote worker who keeps moving can stop adding to a pension without noticing. This guide shows which country covers your work, how voluntary contributions work, and how to save privately when no public option fits. It covers the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Nigeria, with 2026 figures and one UK deadline in April 2027.
How to Keep Paying Into a Pension Abroad
1. Find Out Which Country’s System Covers Your Work
Social security is usually charged in the country where the work happens. A remote worker can end up covered by two systems at once. Payments into a foreign system can also be lost when a worker leaves before qualifying for any benefit.
A totalization agreement is a treaty that stops a worker paying social security to two countries on the same earnings. The Social Security Administration (SSA) lists 31 agreements as of October 2026, with Romania added from 1 September 2026.
- Agreement countries popular with nomads: Portugal, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Romania, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Uruguay.
- No agreement: Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, Indonesia, and Georgia do not appear on the SSA list.
- Self-employed US citizens: US Social Security covers them wherever they work. Some agreements assign coverage to the country of residence, and others allow only a temporary transfer.
- US employees of American companies: US coverage continues no matter how long the foreign assignment lasts, according to the SSA.
- Proof of coverage: A worker exempt under an agreement needs a certificate of coverage from the country that keeps covering them. A self-employed US citizen attaches the foreign certificate to each US tax return.
Each agreement has its own rules, so the SSA page for the specific country is the place to confirm details. Other countries run similar treaty networks. Canada, for example, has social security agreements with many countries, according to the Government of Canada.
2. Check How Much Pension Record You Already Have
A public pension usually needs a minimum record before it pays anything. Checking the record first shows how much each extra year is worth.
- United States: Retirement benefits need 40 credits. In 2026, a worker earns one credit for each $1,890 of earnings and can earn up to four credits a year, so $7,560 buys all four.
- United States and treaty countries: The SSA can add foreign credits to US credits only when the worker has at least six quarters of US coverage.
- United Kingdom: The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week in 2026/27. It needs 35 qualifying years, and at least 10 years are needed for any payment.
- Value of one more UK year: About £359 a year, based on one thirty-fifth of the full yearly amount of £12,548.
A nomad with 28 UK qualifying years may want to buy the missing seven. A nomad with eight years sits below the 10-year minimum for any pension. The 10-year test for new voluntary payments also applies, as step 3 explains.
3. Pay Voluntary Contributions Where Your Home System Allows It
Some home systems let citizens keep paying in from abroad. The rules differ by country, so each one is listed below. Citizens of other countries can ask their home pension authority whether a similar overseas option exists.
United Kingdom. The rules changed on 6 April 2026, according to a HMRC policy paper.
- Class 2 ended for most people: From the 2026/27 tax year, most people can no longer pay voluntary Class 2 contributions for time abroad.
- Class 3 cost: £18.40 a week, or £956.80 for a full year, according to the GOV.UK rates page. Class 2 cost £3.65 a week, or £189.80 a year.
- Who can start paying: New applicants need 10 continuous years of UK residence or 10 qualifying years of National Insurance. Voluntary payments made abroad do not count toward those 10 years, with limited exceptions.
- Existing payers: People already paying Class 3 from abroad do not need to reapply. People who paid Class 2 can apply for Class 3 under the older rules if they apply before 6 April 2027.
- How to apply: Applications go through HMRC form CF83.
One year of Class 3 costs £956.80 and adds about £359 a year to a full pension. The cost is repaid in roughly 2.7 years of pension payments. Years beyond 35 generally add nothing to the full new State Pension, so extra years only help a record below 35.
Class 3 builds the State Pension only, while Class 2 also counted toward some working-age benefits. Income tax follows a separate test, the Statutory Residence Test.
Germany. German citizens living abroad can pay voluntary contributions to the statutory pension, according to Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
- 2026 range: €112.16 to €1,571.70 a month.
- Deadline: Contributions for a year can be paid until 31 March of the following year.
- Benefit: Voluntary contributions can help a person reach the five-year minimum insurance period needed for a pension claim.
Canada. The Government of Canada describes CPP contributions as a duty for people who work in Canada, and the page lists no voluntary route for people abroad.
- Residency: The Canada Pension Plan Act applies self-employed contributions to people who are residents of Canada for tax purposes. Residency depends on ties to Canada, which our guide to Canadian tax residency explains.
- Claiming later: Canadians who leave can apply for CPP from age 60, based on contributions already made, according to MoneySense.
- Old Age Security: Payment abroad needs 20 years of Canadian residence after age 18, according to the same source.
Australia. Non-residents can make personal contributions to an Australian super fund, subject to the fund’s own rules, according to the ATO Community.
- 2026-27 limits: A$32,500 for pre-tax contributions and A$130,000 for after-tax contributions.
- Tax deduction: A deduction for a personal contribution needs Australian taxable income to offset it. Residency status is covered in our guide to Australian tax residency.
- Employers: An overseas employer has no duty to pay into an Australian fund, according to Canstar.
- Fund rules: Some funds do not accept non-resident members, so the fund can confirm this before departure.
Nigeria. PenCom introduced a guideline for retirement savings accounts in foreign currency. It lets Nigerians who work abroad or for foreign companies join the Contributory Pension Scheme, according to ThisDay.
- Self-employed workers: The Personal Pension Plan covers self-employed people and informal workers.
- Next step: A licensed pension fund administrator can confirm which option fits a nomad living abroad.
4. Save Privately When No Public Option Fits
A private retirement account can replace a public option when the home system has no voluntary route or blocks entry.
- US IRA limit: $7,500 for 2026, or $8,600 for people aged 50 or over, according to the IRS.
- Earnings rule: IRA contributions are limited by compensation. Publication 590-A lists income excluded under the foreign earned income exclusion as not counting. The IRS page for international taxpayers describes the point in different words, so a US expat tax professional can confirm the correct treatment.
- Penalty risk: An excess IRA contribution can bring a 6% yearly tax, according to Online Taxman.
- Another option: Claiming the Foreign Tax Credit instead of the exclusion keeps income taxable, which can leave earnings that support a contribution.
Tax treatment of a foreign pension depends on the country of residence. Many countries tax residents on worldwide income, so a pension account abroad can create a tax bill. A local tax adviser can check this before the first deposit.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Covers Social Security Tax
The foreign earned income exclusion lowers US income tax. The IRS instructions for Schedule SE say a self-employed US citizen living abroad must in most cases still pay self-employment tax. The exclusion cannot reduce the earnings used for that tax.
Self-employment tax is 15.3% of net earnings, according to Taxes for Expats. A treaty can remove the double payment. The IRS instructions say a worker under an agreement generally pays only to the country of residence.
A US freelancer living in Thailand has no agreement to rely on, so US self-employment tax can apply. Income tax filing is a separate task, covered in our guide to how US citizens file taxes while working abroad.
Waiting Too Long to Start Voluntary Payments
A UK citizen with only a few qualifying years who stops paying and leaves can miss the 10-year test for new voluntary payments. Current Class 2 payers also face the 6 April 2027 deadline described in step 3.
Plan Your Next Base With Pension Rules in Mind
Pension and social security rules follow the country where a person works and lives. The choice of a new base can change which system applies to future earnings, so a quick check before departure can prevent trouble later. Write down the pension rules and any deadline for each country on your list, so no date slips past while you travel. Once the rules for the next stop are clear, search flights on FlyBibe and plan the move.
This article gives general information and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Pension, social security, immigration, and tax rules change often. Confirm current requirements with the relevant government agency or a qualified professional before making plans. The article reflects information as of 12 October 2026.