New - Convention with the Russian Federation

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On October 1, 2017, the social security convention signed between Israel and the Russian Federation will enter into force.

The convention is designed to provide rights to Olim from the Russian Federation who have immigrated to Israel until 1993 (the convention do not concern residents of other Republics of former Soviet Union).

The Convention guarantees the continuity and protection of rights related to social security to the insured, i.e. citizens and residents of both countries who moved from one country to the other for purposes of temporary or permanent residency, with respect to following insurance branches: old-age, survivors, disability, work injury, children and maternity allowance.

Furthermore, the convention provides an exemption of double payment of social insurance contributions for Israeli residents who are employed in the Russian Federation, for limited periods of time.

The convention does not apply to State Health Insurance Law, and therefore does not grant any exemption of double payment of health insurance contributions.

Essentials of the convention

The Convention applies to citizens of the Russian Federation who moved to live in Israel, as well as to Israeli citizens who moved to live in the Russian Federation.

• Entitlement to an old-age pension from Israel:

If you are the recipient of an old-age pension from Israel, you will continue to receive it without limitation in time, as long as you are residing in the Russian Federation. The pension may be paid on your bank account either in Israel or in the Russian Federation, according to your choice.

• Entitlement to retirement pension from the Russian Federation:

You may be entitled to a retirement pension from the Russian Federation if you meet all the following requirements:

1. You live in Israel
2. You were insured in the Russian Federation for at least 12 months (the minimum period for the combination of periods between Israel and the Russian Federation).
3. Today, you are eligible for a retirement pension from the Russian Federation (men: 60 and older, women: 55 and older).

The Social Institute in Russia is the exclusive agent with competence to rule on your claims and calculate the rate of retirement pension you shall receive. The pension is paid by the Social Institute in Russia through the National Insurance Institute in Israel.

• Is it possible to receive at the same time an old-age pension from Israel and a retirement pension from the Russian Federation?

Yes. If you have accumulated a full insurance period in each country, you may be entitled to a pension from both countries separately. In case you did not accumulate an insurance period long enough to obtain a full pension, you may be entitled to a partial pension from both countries, in accordance with the periods accumulated in each of them and provided those periods are not simultaneous.

• Entitlement to income supplement

If you receive an old-age pension from Israel with income supplement, and were granted a retirement pension from the Russian Federation within the convention's framework, you may continue to be entitled to the income supplement provided that you or your spouse have an income from pension (including the sum of retirement pension you were granted by the Russian Federation) that does not exceed the gross monthly amount of NIS 1,257 (as of January 1, 2017) per person, or the gross monthly amount of NIS 1,983 (as of January 1, 2017) for the couple, and on condition that you meet further conditions of entitlement .

For your information,
As long as you are receiving an income supplement to your pension, you shall be entitled to keep receiving, too, a range of benefits from other bodies, such as discounts on Arnona, electricity, medical services and rent support.

• Recipients of a special old-age pension (SOAP)

Recipients of a special old-age pension in Israel (SOAP) who moved permanently to the Russian Federation, are not entitled to the continuation of pension payment.

Submitting pension applications within the convention's framework

Retirement Pension, Survivors Pension, Disability and Work Injury Application Form, and Documentation to enclose in attachment

Medical report to be filled out by the attending physician – This report must be attached to claims related to disability and work injury.

The main document attesting your period of work in the Russian Federation is the work booklet from Russia (one may receive a copy of it with original stamp).

Submitting authorizations regarding your level of wage in the Russian Federation is not required; however, those authorizations may influence the determination on your entitlement to retirement pension as well as its amount.

Please note, it is no longer possible to obtain those documents by means of inquiry to the Archives of the Russian Federation.

If you do not have in your possession a work booklet and authorizations regarding your level of wage – you must fill out the Help in Localizing Documents Form, which can be found onthe last page of the claim form.
The Social Security Institute in Russia will try to localize the documents, and will rule according to the documents that have successfully been localized.

Please note, submitting your request together with all required documents will make the determination process by the Russian Federation more effective.

For inquiries, you contact our call center at *2637 from Sunday trhough Thursday, between 8:00 and 17:00.