Unemployment insurance (UI) in the EEA and in Switzerland
Status: May 1, 2010
As of May 1, 2010, different rules will apply to Switzerland as well as to the EEA countries of Norway, lceland and Liechtenstein as compared to the EU Area.
Transferring entitlements
If you are unemployed and move to one of the countries listed above in order to look for work, you can 'carry along' your unemployment benefit (or emergency welfare benefit) entitlement with you, always provided that you have been officially available for job placement in Austria for a minimum period of four weeks without finding employment and register with the competent public employment authorities in the country where you are looking for work within seven days. Depending on what you have agreed with your regional Public Employment Service (AMS) office PRIOR to moving abroad, such a transfer is limited to three months but must not exceed the maximum entitlement period you were granted by our Service. If you are unable to find employment in the country where you are looking for work, you are required to return to Austria before this three-month period (or the maximum entitlement period granted) expires - otherwise, you will lose all your entitlements. Your benefits will be paid out to you directly by the public employment authorities abroad and subsequently charged back to the Austrian AMS.
Please note: It is imperative that you apply for any such transfer of Austrian entitlements in person at your regional Public Employment Service office PRIOR to moving abroad.
Aggregation of insurance periods
In order to determine eligibility and benefit periods, all insurance periods resulting from employment and completed in the countries listed above will be added to the Austrian insurance periods provided that you have been employed in Austria for a minimum of one day while also being subject to mandatory public unemployment insurance. Under certain conditions, this minimum employment period will be waived for cross-border commuters. If you are planning to move to Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland and require a document confirming insurance periods accumulated in Austria, you may request such an official confirmation electronically. Incidentally, please note that your entitlement will be determined in accordance with the relevant national regulations of the country in question.
Note: If you wish to apply for a transfer of an Austrian entitlement while looking for work in Switzerland or an EEA country, however, you are absolutely required to make an appointment with your regional Public Employment Service office prior to moving abroad.