Worked in Greece and Ireland? EFKA Pension and Irish State Pension Rights Explained

Greece and Ireland are both EU member states, which means EU Regulation 883/2004 fully coordinates their social security systems. If you paid Greek social insurance contributions at any point in your career — whether during the construction boom of the 1990s and 2000s, in tourism, hospitality, or professional services — you have pension rights in Greece that do not disappear when you return to Ireland. This guide explains how the reformed Greek system works, how it interacts with Irish PRSI, and what you need to do to claim both pensions.

The Greek pension system has been through repeated and significant reforms — most substantially in 2016 under the so-called Katrougalos reforms — and understanding which rules apply to your contributions requires knowing when you worked and under which fund. The key institution today is EFKA, the unified social insurance body that replaced a fragmented landscape of sector-specific funds.

EFKA: Greece’s Unified Social Insurance Fund

EFKA (Ενιαίος Φορέας Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης) was established in 2017 as a merger of the main Greek social insurance funds, including IKA (the dominant fund for private-sector employees), OAEE (self-employed), OGA (farmers), and a number of sector-specific funds. All contribution histories from these former funds were transferred to EFKA.

For Irish workers returning claims, this consolidation is broadly positive: you deal with one institution rather than multiple. However, record fragmentation from the pre-2017 era means older contributions may require additional verification.

The Greek Pension Structure

The Greek pension paid through EFKA has two components:

• Main pension (κύρια σύνταξη): the primary earnings-related pension, calculated on the basis of your Greek insurable earnings and years of contributions. This is the dominant element for most workers.
• Supplementary pension (επικουρική σύνταξη): a second-tier pension paid through ETEAEP for workers insured before 2021, and through the new funded TEKA scheme for workers entering for the first time after 1 January 2022. For most Irish workers with Greek contribution history, ETEAEP is the relevant institution.

Pension Age in Greece

The standard Greek pension age is 67, applicable to most workers. An early retirement option exists at 62 for workers with at least 40 qualifying years — but early retirement comes with significant reductions, and the 40-year threshold is difficult to meet for those with mixed Greek and Irish careers unless voluntary contributions were made.

For workers with hazardous or arduous occupations (a specific defined list under Greek law), lower pension ages may apply — but these are narrow categories and unlikely to apply to most Irish returnees.

How the Greek Pension is Calculated

The main pension calculation uses a replacement rate applied to average pensionable earnings over the insured career. The replacement rate increases with years of service, typically reaching 30–50% of average earnings for workers with 15–35 years of contributions. Earnings are revalued annually using a wage and inflation index. The calculation is complex and EFKA will issue a formal pension estimate on application — do not attempt to self-calculate without official figures.

The supplementary ETEAEP pension is calculated separately based on contributions paid to the supplementary fund during your insured period in Greece.

Historical Complexity: IKA, Sector Funds, and AMKA

For Irish workers whose Greek employment predates 2017, contributions were paid to the former IKA (for private-sector employees) or to sector-specific funds including TSMEDE (engineers and architects), TSAY (health sector), TAE (commerce employees), and others. All these records have been transferred to EFKA, but the transfer was not always seamless. Workers who paid into more than one fund during their Greek career should request a full consolidated statement from EFKA that covers all predecessor funds.

Your AMKA number (ΑΜΚΑ — the Greek social security number) is the key to accessing your contribution records. If you worked formally in Greece, you will have been assigned an AMKA. If you have lost your AMKA or it has expired, it can be reissued through a KEP citizen service centre in Greece, or via the Greek Embassy or Consulate in Dublin by arrangement.

How EU Totalisation Works: Greece and Ireland

EU Regulation 883/2004 coordinates Greece and Ireland as full member states. The practical effect:

• Meeting the Greek minimum: if your Greek contribution record falls short of 4,500 days (15 years), Irish PRSI weeks can be aggregated to reach that threshold. Greece then pays a pro-rata pension calculated on your actual Greek insurance days only
• Meeting the Irish minimum: if your Irish PRSI record falls short of 520 paid contributions, Greek insurance days can be aggregated to reach the threshold. Ireland then pays a pro-rata pension on Irish contributions only
• Both pensions paid simultaneously: you are entitled to receive both a Greek pension from EFKA and the Irish State Pension — they are not offset against each other
• DSP Ireland has a dedicated EU liaison function: when you apply for the Irish State Pension and declare Greek work history, DSP contacts EFKA directly under the EU framework to exchange contribution records

Worked Example: 6 Years in Greece, 32 Years in Ireland

Consider an Irish person who worked in Athens from age 26 to 32 (6 years, approximately 1,500 insurance days with IKA), then returned to Ireland and accumulated 32 years of PRSI contributions before retiring at 67.

Pension	Calculation	Approximate Annual Amount
Irish State Pension (Contributory)	32 Irish PRSI years (520 minimum met independently); full or near-full rate	€14,420 (full rate 2026)
Greek main pension (EFKA)	6 Greek years fall short of 15-year minimum; EU totalisation adds 32 Irish years; minimum met; Greece pays pro-rata on 6 Greek years; approximate replacement rate × Greek average earnings × 6/15	Approx. €1,500–2,500/year (depends on Greek earnings level; EFKA estimate essential)
Greek supplementary pension (ETEAEP)	Based on supplementary contributions paid during 6 Greek years	Small amount; request ETEAEP estimate

Even a relatively small Greek pension is worth claiming — over a 20-year retirement, a €2,000/year Greek pension represents €40,000. The application process is bureaucratic but straightforward once your AMKA and contribution record are confirmed.

How to Check and Claim Your Greek EFKA Pension

1. Locate or reissue your AMKA number. Check old Greek payslips, tax returns (εκκαθαριστικό), or employment contracts. If lost, contact the Greek Embassy in Dublin or a KEP office in Greece.
2. Create an EFKA online account at efka.gov.gr. You can view your contribution history (ενσήμανση ημερομισθίων) online. For older IKA/sector fund records not yet visible online, contact your nearest EFKA regional office directly.
3. Request a consolidated contribution statement. Ask EFKA to confirm your total insurance days across all predecessor funds (IKA and any sector-specific fund you contributed to).
4. Apply for Greek pension through EFKA. For Irish residents, applications can be submitted via the Greek Embassy in Dublin, through EFKA online, or by post to an EFKA regional office. The DSP can also trigger the Greek-side application as part of the EU coordination process.
5. For supplementary pension (ETEAEP), contact ETEAEP separately at eteaep.gov.gr or through EFKA, which handles combined applications.
6. Notify Irish DSP. Declare Greek work history on your Irish State Pension application. DSP will contact EFKA directly.

Tax on Greek Pension in Ireland

Ireland and Greece have a Double Taxation Agreement. As an Irish tax resident, Greek pension income is generally taxable in Ireland and must be declared on your annual Revenue return as foreign pension income. Greek withholding tax can be credited against Irish liability. As with all multi-pension situations, the combination of income sources can have a meaningful tax effect — seek advice before retirement to plan the most efficient drawdown order.

Key Numbers at a Glance (2026)

Item	Detail
Greek pension institution	EFKA — efka.gov.gr
Supplementary pension	ETEAEP (pre-2022 entrants); TEKA (post-2022 new entrants)
Minimum qualifying period (independent)	4,500 insurance days (approx. 15 years)
Standard pension age	67
Early pension age (40 qualifying years)	62 (with reductions)
Greek social security number	AMKA — required for all EFKA access
EU totalisation framework	EU Regulation 883/2004 — Irish PRSI weeks count toward Greek minimum threshold
Irish State Pension min. contributions	520 PRSI paid (Greek insurance days count via totalisation)
Greek Embassy in Dublin	1 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2