Ireland
Worked in Ireland? Any pension you built up here is yours to keep and can usually be paid to you abroad — but you have to claim it; it won't start automatically. The full state pension age is 66, with early access from 66. On totalization, Ireland has bilateral totalization agreements, so the years you worked here may combine with other countries you've worked in. Below is Ireland's system at a glance and what expats should check.
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Overview
Ireland operates a flat-rate state pension (State Pension Contributory) funded through Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, supplemented by voluntary occupational pension schemes and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs). The State Pension (Contributory) pays a maximum of €299.30 per week (from January 2026, up from €289.30 in 2025) to those with 2,080 or more PRSI contributions, and is not means-tested. From 2025, the calculation method is transitioning from the Yearly Average approach to the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) over a 10-year phased period, with full TCA implementation by 2034. The standard pension age is 66, with an option to defer up to age 70 for a higher rate (approximately €363.90/week at 70 in 2026). The Pensions Commission has recommended a gradual increase to 67 by 2031 and 68 by 2039, but this has not yet been legislated.
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A landmark reform — the MyFutureFund auto-enrolment scheme — officially launched on 1 January 2026, automatically enrolling employees aged 23–60 earning over €20,000 per year who are not already in a qualifying workplace pension. As of mid-2026, over 800,000 employees across nearly 104,000 employers have been enrolled, with over €400 million in contributions invested. Contributions start at 1.5% each from employee and employer, plus a State top-up of 0.5% (equivalent to €1 for every €3 contributed by the employee), rising to 6% each (plus 2% State) by 2035. The scheme is administered by the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA). PRSI rates are also on a phased upward trajectory, with employee and employer Class A rates rising incrementally through 2028 to support the long-term sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.
Ireland's gross replacement rate from mandatory schemes alone is among the lowest in the OECD (below 30% at average wages per OECD Pensions at a Glance 2025), making supplementary occupational and private pensions critical. The Standard Fund Threshold (SFT) — the lifetime cap on tax-relieved pension benefits — rose from €2 million to €2.2 million in 2026, increasing by €200,000 per year to €2.8 million by 2029, then indexed to earnings growth from 2030. The State Pension (Non-Contributory) is a means-tested alternative for those who do not qualify for the contributory pension, but it requires Irish residency and is not payable abroad. Ireland has totalization agreements with the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Quebec, and the UK, as well as EU/EEA coordination under Regulation 883/2004.
<30% (mandatory schemes only, OECD Pensions at a Glance 2025); ~35% including voluntary occupational pensions
Pillar 1: State Pension Contributory (flat-rate, PRSI-funded, age 66); Pillar 2: Occupational pensions (DB/DC, employer-sponsored) + MyFutureFund auto-enrolment DC (mandatory from Jan 2026); Pillar 3: PRSAs and personal pensions (voluntary, tax-relieved)
Flat-rate state pension (social insurance/PRSI-funded) + mandatory auto-enrolment DC (MyFutureFund from 2026) + voluntary occupational DB/DC + voluntary PRSAs and personal pensions
Employee
4.2% (PRSI Class A, Jan–Sep 2026); rising to 4.35% from 1 October 2026
Employer
11.25% (PRSI Class A, earnings above €552/week, Jan–Sep 2026); 9% for earnings up to €552/week; rising to 11.4%/9.15% from 1 October 2026
Self-Employed
4.2% (PRSI Class S, 2026; blended rate 4.2375% for full 2026 tax year given Oct rate change to 4.35%); minimum annual contribution €650
Notes
PRSI rates are on a phased upward trajectory under the PRSI Roadmap: +0.1pp from Oct 2024, +0.1pp from Oct 2025 (to 4.2%), +0.15pp from Oct 2026 (to 4.35%), +0.15pp from Oct 2027, +0.2pp from Oct 2028. Employees earning €352 or less per week are exempt from employee PRSI. A sliding PRSI credit of up to €12/week applies for earnings between €352 and €424. MyFutureFund auto-enrolment contributions are separate from PRSI and start at 1.5% employee + 1.5% employer from January 2026, rising to 6% each by 2035. Employer PRSI threshold for reduced rate increased to €552/week from 1 January 2026.
Common questions
What is the retirement age in Ireland?
The full state pension age in Ireland is 66. Early retirement may be possible from 66. Deferring can raise your pension up to age 70.
Can I claim a Ireland pension if I live abroad?
Yes. A pension you've earned in Ireland stays yours wherever you retire, and can usually be paid into an overseas account once you reach pension age. It won't start automatically, though — you need to claim it, typically a few months in advance, through Ireland's pension authority.
Do totalization agreements affect my Ireland pension?
Ireland has bilateral social-security (totalization) agreements. These can let you combine the years you worked in Ireland with years in partner countries to meet a minimum qualifying period, so short stints aren't wasted. Which partners and rules apply depends on your own work history.
How is the pension system structured in Ireland?
Flat-rate state pension (social insurance/PRSI-funded) + mandatory auto-enrolment DC (MyFutureFund from 2026) + voluntary occupational DB/DC + voluntary PRSAs and personal pensions Pillar 1: State Pension Contributory (flat-rate, PRSI-funded, age 66); Pillar 2: Occupational pensions (DB/DC, employer-sponsored) + MyFutureFund auto-enrolment DC (mandatory from Jan 2026); Pillar 3: PRSAs and personal pensions (voluntary, tax-relieved) It includes 4 schemes in our directory.
How do I get a copy of my Ireland pension record?
Ask MyWelfare.ie for your PRSI Contribution Statement (the Social insurance (PRSI) contribution record). It's free and you can request it yourself — our step-by-step guide on this page walks through the portal, what to have ready, and what to do if the login fails.