I still have a question about pension withdrawal before moving out even though I have read many such threads. I want to ask if possible to get the pension back if you are a citizen of one of the countries with whom Switzerland has an agreement with such as Canada?

Most of what I read here concludes that you can get the money back if you move to a 3rd country with no colateral agreement with Switzerland which I intend to do. However, having just called the compensation office in Geneva, they said that it is NOT possible to get anything back before retirement if you are a citizen of one of these countries. So confusing! Has anyone been able (or knew someone) to get the money back if they are from Canada, USA, Australia..etc?
Thanks

No one can cash out pillar 1. What you can cash out is Pillar 2 when you leave Switzerland.

Thanks, but that applies only if you are EU. I have the form to apply to get the monies, so it really means that under some cases one can cash out! Anyone else?

Per this document, citizens of countries with agreements with Switzerland cannot cash out Pillar 1: "Social security agreements mean that pensions from the OASI/DI [Pillar 1] are also paid abroad. For this reason you cannot apply for reimbursement of your accumulated OASI contributions... when leaving Switzerland" (Page 13)

Basically, because you will get Canadian social security (Old Age Security) and because of this agreement, you will not get it.

https://www.bfm.admin.ch/content/dam...zialvers-e.pdf

If you're talking Pillar 1 and leaving to Canada, then the document linked on this page seems to indicate you can't cash out your pillar 1, but will receive it once you retire. http://www.bsv.admin.ch/themen/ueber...x.html?lang=en

Also, just for completeness, if you could get back your Pillar 1 contributions (which you can't as Canada has an agreement and the time in switzerland will be added to your Canadian state pension equivalent, just like people in the EU), then:

- you will get only part of your Pillar 1 contributions, the persion part, not the unemployment or invalidity insurance parts
- you will have to pay additional tax on it.

Thanks all. What if you intend to live in a 3rd country with no agreement with Switzerland? and not plan to go back to EU/Switzerland/Canada..etc?

Follow the link and read the document and I suspect you'll find the answer.

Ok, thanks! I have read enough of this, and even called them.
I was looking for personal experiences.

It depends on your nationality not where you are going so if there is an agreement then it can only come in at 65. This is one area where it is a disadvantage being a citizen of a western country.

To update this after talking to the compensation office, nobody is eligble if hi/she is a citizen of any countries with bilateral agreement with Switzerland, even if one has double nationality. Also, it doesn't matter where you go after.

bilateral agreement?

Well that sucks

It depends on what the agreement says & local laws. It works fine going to the UK or France, but not Germany

Are you saying you can get your pillar 1 refunded in cash when going back to the UK?

For a very short working period, I believe you can or for sure you used to be able to. I believe the old cut off point was less than a year, that may have changed.

NOT, from what I was told, unless you are cashing out under special circumstances that could apply in Switzerland too. The compensation office made it clear that it is not even worth applying if you are a citizen of EU or the other countries (US, Canada, NZ,...etc). Also, they said if one has double citizenship (example, Portugal and Brazil), the Portuguese one disqualifies the person even he intends to go live in Brazil.

That’s my understanding also however per someone’s earlier comment in the thread you can fill out a form to receive it when you retire and also request for an estimated value of your AHV contributions and retirement payouts.