Moldovans who worked in Canada to receive social benefits

Citizens of Moldova who have worked in Canada and Quebec will receive social benefits.

To this end, the government today ruled to initiate negotiations on the draft Social Security Agreement between Moldova and Quebec.

Based on this document, Moldovan citizens are expected to benefit from old-age pensions, disability pensions due to general health conditions, disability pensions and allowances following work accidents or occupational diseases, as well as survivor pensions or other benefits, established depending on the provisions of the agreement.

“The agreement is the legal basis for guaranteeing the rights to social benefits of our citizens who have legally worked in the province of Quebec. Presently, we have about 15,000 Moldovan citizens who are potential beneficiaries,” said Dumitru Pîslaru, Secretary-General of the Labor and Social Protection Ministry.

At the same time, the cabinet approved the decision to initiate negotiations and approve the signing of the Administrative Arrangement between the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Moldova and the Employment and Social Development Canada department for implementing the Social Security Agreement.

“There are over 20,000 of our citizens on Canadian territory, according to data presented by the Canadian authorities. This administrative arrangement establishes the concrete procedures for cooperation between the institutions of our countries, the exchange of information and documents, as well as the way of establishing rights to benefits. Negotiating this agreement is part of the government's efforts to extend social protection for our citizens who have worked abroad,” emphasized Dumitru Pîslaru.

The official highlighted that, following the social protection agreements negotiated and signed in the last four years, twice as many citizens benefited from social protection compared to all the agreements signed up until 2021.

So far, Moldova has signed Social Security Agreements with 20 countries, 18 of which have entered into force and are applicable. These countries are: Romania, Bulgaria, Portugal, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Austria, Estonia, the Czech Republic, the Kingdom of Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Italy, Greece, Spain and Latvia.