Social Security for
Third-Country Nationals
in Germany
Study by the German National Contact Point
for the European Migration Network (EMN)
Working Paper 57
Andreas Müller
Matthias M. Mayer
Nadine Bauer
Co-financed by the
European Union
Social Security for
Third-Country Nationals
in Germany
Study by the German National Contact Point
for the European Migration Network (EMN)
Andreas Müller
Matthias M. Mayer
Nadine Bauer
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees 2014
5Abstract
Abstract
This work describes third-country nationals’ access to
social security benefits in Germany. It was drafted by
the National Contact Point for the European Migration
Network (EMN), located at the Federal Office for Mi-
gration and Refugees, as Germany’s contribution to a
European comparative study of third-country nation-
als’ access to social benefits.
The study illustrates the structure and functioning
of contribution-financed statutory social insurance
as well as tax-financed social welfare systems in Ger-
many. While the benefits of social insurance (statutory
pension insurance and unemployment insurance,
partially statutory health insurance) provide usually
temporary coverage commensurate to social status
calculated as a percentage of earned income, basic
security benefits should ensure a sociocultural mini-
mum living income.
The study analyses the conditions under which third-
country nationals receive access to individual social
benefits as well as the consequences of social security
dependence for one’s residence status. In general, nei-
ther statutory social insurance nor the social welfare
system differentiate between third-country nationals,
EU citizens and German nationals, rather they guar-
antee the most equal access possible to social benefits.
Access to social benefits is partially excluded for third-
country nationals; however, in those cases, where ac-
cess is provided, claiming basic security benefits can
result in consequences to the residence status, depend-
ing on the residence