Many workers who have paid enough 20 years of social insurance (BHXH) but have not reached retirement age are wondering whether they can receive a pension immediately or have to wait until they reach the regulated age. Many cases also ask whether they can choose to receive one-time social insurance instead of waiting to receive a monthly pension.
According to Vietnam Social Security, the Law on Social Insurance, effective from July 1, 2025, stipulates that employees are entitled to pensions when they have 15 years of social insurance contributions and reach retirement age according to the provisions of the Labor Code.
Compared to before, the minimum condition for social insurance contribution time to receive a pension has been reduced from 20 years to 15 years for both male and female workers.
However, the social insurance agency said that having paid enough years of social insurance does not mean that employees can receive pensions immediately if they are not old enough to retire.
Therefore, in case of having paid social insurance for 20 years but quitting early and not being eligible for early retirement, it is necessary to preserve the social insurance contribution period until reaching the age according to regulations to receive a pension.
Currently, some cases of being allowed to retire earlier than the prescribed age include people working in heavy, hazardous, and dangerous professions and jobs; working in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions or with reduced working capacity.
Employees who have paid social insurance for 20 years but have not reached retirement age can still receive a lower pension if their working capacity is reduced by 61% or more or do particularly heavy, hazardous, and dangerous work as prescribed.
Regarding the right to receive one-time social insurance benefits, the Law on Social Insurance also stipulates that employees who do not meet the conditions to receive pensions can receive one-time social insurance benefits in some cases such as moving abroad to settle down; suffering from serious illnesses; working capacity reduction of 81% or more or being people with particularly severe disabilities.
Notably, according to Clause 6, Article 70 of the 2024 Law on Social Insurance, in cases where employees simultaneously qualify for pension and one-time social insurance benefits, they are allowed to choose to receive a monthly pension or receive one-time social insurance benefits.
Regarding the pension level, female workers are calculated at 45% of the average monthly salary for social insurance contributions corresponding to 15 years of social insurance contributions, then each year increases by 2%, maximum 75%.
For male workers, the benefit level of 45% corresponds to 20 years of social insurance contributions, then each year increases by 2%, maximum 75%. For men with contributions from 15 years to less than 20 years, the benefit level is 40% corresponding to 15 years of social insurance contributions, then each year increases by 1%.
According to this regulation, female workers retiring in 2026 if they have paid enough 20 years of social insurance will receive a pension equal to 55% of the average monthly salary for social insurance contributions. Meanwhile, male workers who have paid enough 20 years will receive 45%.
For people receiving salaries under the State regime, the average monthly salary for social insurance contributions to calculate pensions is determined according to each stage of social insurance participation, from the average of the last 5 years before retirement to the average of the entire period of social insurance contributions.
