Albania–Italy Agreement On Pensions And Social Security



 

 

Albania and Italy have concluded a bilateral social security agreement, which came into force on July 1, 2025, ensuring the recognition and protection of pension rights for individuals who have worked and contributed in both countries.

The agreement guarantees that no year of work and no paid contribution is lost, allowing individuals to qualify for a pension even when minimum requirements are not met separately in each country.

Purpose of the agreement

The purpose of this agreement is to:

  • Mutually recognize insurance and contribution periods
  • Aggregate periods of employment for pension eligibility
  • Ensure equal treatment for citizens of both countries
  • Simplify administrative procedures for pension entitlements
  • Benefits covered

The agreement covers the following social security benefits:

  • Old-age pension
  • Disability pension
  • Survivor’s pension
  • Other social security benefits provided under national legislation
  • Pension calculation method
  • Employment periods and contributions completed in Italy and Albania are aggregated solely for the purpose of establishing entitlement to a pension.
  • Each country calculates the pension independently, based on the insurance periods completed within its territory.
  • Pension payments are made separately by each country.

Example:
If a person has 10 years of work in Albania and 10 years of work in Italy, they acquire pension entitlement and receive payments from both countries, each for its respective share.

Eligible beneficiaries

The agreement applies to:

  • Albanian citizens who have worked in Italy
  • Italian citizens who have worked in Albania
  • Individuals residing in Albania or Italy
  • Persons approaching retirement age or already retired

The agreement is applied without discrimination based on nationality.

Application procedure

  • In Italy: applications must be submitted to INPS – National Social Security Institute, directly, online or through Patronato offices (free of charge).
  • In Albania: applications must be submitted to ISSH – Social Insurance Institute, directly or online through e-albania.

The competent institutions exchange data electronically to verify contribution periods.

Required documentation

Required documentation generally includes:

  • Identification document
  • Information on employment periods
  • Bank account details for pension payments

If documentation is missing, verification is carried out through official records.