INDIA and Portual today signed
a Social Security Agreement (SSA). Speaking on the occasion here today,
the Indian Overseas Indian Affairs Minister, Mr V Ravi, said that about
75,000 Indians are living in Portugal, most of them are working as professionals
and self-employed. The bilateral Social Security Agreement is significant
requirement from the futuristic point of view to take advantage of the emerging
employment opportunities and to further strengthen the trade and investment
between the two countries.
The Social Security Agreement between India and Republic of Portugal will
provide the following benefits to Indian national working in Portugal:
• For short term contract upto 5 year, no social security contribution would
need to be paid under the Portuguese law by the detached workers provided they
continue to make social security payment in India.
• The above benefits shall be available even when the Indian company sends
its employees to Republic of Portugal from a third country.
• Indian workers shall be entitled to the export of the social security benefit
if they relocate to India after the completion of their service in Republic
of Portugal.
• The self-employed Indians in Republic of Portugal would also be entitled
to export of social security benefit on their relocation to India.
• The period of contribution in one contracting state will be added to the
period of contribution in the second contracting state for determining the
eligibility for social security benefits.
India has so far signed the SSA with seventeen countries viz. Belgium, Germany
(Social Insurance), Switzerland, France, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Hungary,
Denmark, The Czech Republic, Republic of Korea, Norway, Germany (Comprehensive
SSA), Finland, Canada, Japan, Sweden and Austria.
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