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Portability of Pension, Health, and other Social Benefits: Facts, Concepts, and Issues

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Holzmann
  • Johannes Koettl

Abstract

Portability of social benefits across professions and countries is an increasing concern for individuals and policy makers. Lacking or incomplete transfers of acquired social rights are feared to negatively impact individual labor market decisions as well as capacity to address social risks with consequences for economic and social outcomes. The paper gives a fresh and provocative look on the international perspective of the topic that has so far been dominated by social policy lawyers working within the framework of bilateral agreements; the input by economists has been very limited. It offers an analytical framework for portability analysis that suggests separating the risk pooling, (implicit or actual) pre-funding, and redistributive elements in the benefit design, and explores the proposed alternative approach for pensions and health care benefits. This promising approach may serve both as a substitute and complement to bi- and multilateral agreements.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Holzmann & Johannes Koettl, 2012. "Portability of Pension, Health, and other Social Benefits: Facts, Concepts, and Issues," CESifo Working Paper Series 4002, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    13. repec:wbk:wbpubs:7336 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Avato, Johanna & Koettl, Johannes & Sabates-Wheeler, Rachel, 2010. "Social Security Regimes, Global Estimates, and Good Practices: The Status of Social Protection for International Migrants," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 455-466, April.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Robert Holzmann, 2016. "Do bilateral social security agreements deliver on the portability of pensions and health care benefits? A summary policy paper on four migration corridors between EU and non-EU member states," IZA Journal of European Labor Studies, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-35, December.
    2. Michael Fuchs & Robert Holzmann & Secil Pacaci Elitok & Pamela Dale, 2016. "Assessing Benefit Portability for International Migrant Workers," World Bank Publications - Reports 24733, The World Bank Group.
    3. Bernd Genser, 2018. "A Viable International Tax-Order for Cross-Border Pensions," Working Paper Series of the Department of Economics, University of Konstanz 2018-02, Department of Economics, University of Konstanz.
    4. Robert Holzmann & David Robalino & Hernan Winkler, 2019. "NDC Schemes and the Labor Market," World Bank Publications - Reports 31635, The World Bank Group.
    5. BALTEȘ Nicolae & JIMON Ștefania Amalia, 2020. "Study Regarding The Effects Of Demographic Transition On Labor Market And Public Pension System In Central And Eastern Europe," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 15(1), pages 158-170, April.
    6. Bernd Genser & Robert Holzmann, 2019. "National Pension Policy and Globalization: A New Approach to Strive for Efficient Portability and Equitable Taxation," Working Paper Series of the Department of Economics, University of Konstanz 2019-04, Department of Economics, University of Konstanz.
    7. Robert Holzmann, 2018. "The portability of social benefits across borders," World of Labour, LISER, pages 452-452, October.
    8. Christian Dustmann & Giovanni Facchini & Cora Signorotto, 2015. "Population, Migration, Ageing and Health: A Survey," RFBerlin Discussion Paper Series 1518, ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin (RFBerlin).
    9. repec:wbk:wbpubs:16570 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. David Margolis & David Robalino & Friederike Rother & David Newhouse & Mattias Lundberg, 2013. "Youth Employment : A Human Development Agenda for the Next Decade," World Bank Publications - Reports 17620, The World Bank Group.
    11. Adriana Florina Popa & Stefania Amalia Jimon & Delia David & Daniela Nicoleta Sahlian, 2021. "Influence of Fiscal Policies and Labor Market Characteristics on Sustainable Social Insurance Budgets—Empirical Evidence from Central and Eastern European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, May.
    12. Fabrizio Balassone & Sandro Momigliano & Marzia Romanelli & Pietro Tommasino, 2018. "Just Round the Corner? Pros, Cons, and Implementation Issues of a Fiscal Union for the Euro Area," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(1), pages 5-34.
    13. Wei, Mingyu & Li, Jinke, 2026. "Does social health insurance portability promote rural labor migration? Evidence from health care reform in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    14. Robert Holzmann, 2016. "Taxing Pensions of an Internationally Mobile Labor Force: Portability Issues and Taxation Options," CESifo Working Paper Series 5715, CESifo.
    15. Maria Hofmarcher & Robert Holzmann & Reinhard Koman, 2025. "Health and long-term care insurance wealth in Austria (Reinhard Koman, Maria Hofmarcher, Robert Holzmann)," Working Papers 266, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank).
    16. repec:wbk:wbpubs:22018 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Robert Holzmann, 2014. "Old-Age Financial Protection in Malaysia : Challenges and Pptions," World Bank Publications - Reports 21038, The World Bank Group.
    18. Rafal Chomik & John Piggott, 2015. "Population Ageing and Social Security in Asia," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 10(2), pages 199-222, July.
    19. Fauziah ZEN & Mukul G. ASHER, 2015. "Social Protection in ASEAN: Challenges and Initiatives for Post-2015 Vision," Working Papers DP-2015-06, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).

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    • D69 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Other

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