Application

General information

Entitlement to a pension due to incapacity to continue a previous job, disability or total incapacity for work exists when

• the insured event (reduced capacity for work or total incapacity for work) has occurred,
• the qualifying period requirement (minimum number of insurance months) has been met,
• there is no legal entitlement to vocational rehabilitation measures and such measures are deemed neither reasonable nor advisable, and
• the requirements for a pension due to age as an insured event (excluding the Corridor pension) have not been met.

The determination of reduced capacity for work or total incapacity for work is initially made based on an evaluation by a doctor.

• If it is presumed that the incapacity to continue their previous job, disability or total incapacity for work is going to persist in the long-term, benefits will be provided indefinitely.
• Otherwise, for persons born before 1 January 1964, and for pensions covering total incapacity to work regardless of the person’s date of birth, the pension is granted for a maximum of two years (limited-term pension). Individuals who remain unable to continue their previous job or in a state of disability or total incapacity for work may apply to continue receiving this pension. If an extension to a limited-term pension is applied for within three months after discontinuation of benefits, there will be no interruption in payments.

Waged and salaried employees who were born on or after 1 January 1964

Their eligibility for a pension due to incapacity to continue a previous job or disability may only continue if

• the incapacity to continue a previous job or disability are long-term and
• there is no entitlement to reasonable and advisable vocational rehabilitation measures.

Otherwise, they receive rehabilitation benefit or retraining benefit instead of a limited-term pension. A person is entitled to rehabilitation benefit if

• temporary disability or incapacity to continue their previous job is expected to last for at least six months,
• the qualifying period requirement for a disability pension or pension due to incapacity to continue a previous job has been met,
• there is no legal entitlement to reasonable and advisable vocational rehabilitation measures and
• on the effective date, the conditions for an old-age pension, pension for workers in difficult conditions, or a premature old-age pension (except for Corridor pension) have not yet been met.

The pension insurance institution is responsible for issuing the decision on the merits, while the competent health insurance institution determines the amount and makes the payment.

The person has an option to apply for a determination as to whether their case is one of disability, incapacity to continue a previous job, or a total incapacity to work. This serves to determine whether medical or occupational rehabilitation measures are feasible.

Affected

People who are incapable of working, disabled or incapacitated

Requirements

The incapacity to continue a previous job, disability oder total incapacity to work must be expected to last for at least six months or, in the case of waged and salaried employees born on or after 1 January 1964, must be long-term.

Qualifying period

The qualifying period requirement will be met regardless of age if on the effective date a total of

• 180 contribution months (15 years) under statutory or supplementary insurance, regardless of when these were accumulated; or
• 300 months of being insured (25 years), regardless of when these were accumulated.

The qualifying period is deemed to have been met if:

• Pension effective date before 50th birthday:
  • there are 60 months of being insured (five years) within the last 120 calendar months (ten years) before the effective
• Pension effective date after 50th birthday:
  • The qualifying period of 60 insurance months (five years) within 120 calendar months (ten years) is extended by one insurance month for each additional month of age, up to a maximum of 180 insurance months (15 insurance years) during a reference period of a maximum of 360 calendar months (15 insurance years).

The pension generally becomes payable with the pension effective date, but in any case no sooner than on the day after the end of employment which is the basis for the incapacity for work.

Exceptions: Individuals entitled to nursing care benefits for a level of care dependency of 3 or above may still continue the activity in question.

The qualifying period does not apply if the incapacity for work was caused by:

• an occupational accident;
• an occupational illness; or
• an accident in the course of duty as a member of the Austrian armed forces.

The qualifying period is also deemed to have been met if:

• the reduced work capacity or total incapacity for work occurred before the person’s 27th birthday and they have completed at least six insurance months.

Competent authority

the competent pension insurance institution

Procedure

An application is required. The pension insurance institutions have the appropriate application forms.

Required documents

• Pension for disability/incapacity to continue in a previous job – application form^{German text}
• Incapacity for work pension – application form^{German text}
• Any available doctor’s certificates
• Any additional documents as requested by the pension insurance institution

If an application is made without an application form, a form-based application must generally be submitted subsequently.

Further information

If a person’s pension effective date is before their 60th birthday, the calendar months between the effective date and their 60th birthday will be taken into account as insurance months.

From the age of 60 for women and 65 for men, the pension for incapacity to continue a previous job, disability, or total incapacity for work can no longer be withdrawn.

They can request a conversion of the pension into an old-age pension from this age onwards. If the necessary requirements cannot be met, they will continue to receive the pension for incapacity to continue a previous job, disability, or total incapacity for work.

Further links

• Working whilst receiving an illness-related pension (→ PVA)^{German text}
• Public Employment Service (→ AMS)^{German text}

Legal basis

The relevant Pension Insurance Act that applies to your pension insurer, e.g. 

• Allgemeines Sozialversicherungsgesetz (ASVG)
• Gewerbliches Sozialversicherungsgesetz (GSVG)
• Bauern-Sozialversicherungsgesetz (BSVG)

Link to form

• Pension for disability/incapacity to continue a previous job – application form^{German text}
• Pension for disability/incapacity to continue a previous job – factsheet^{German text}
• Incapacity for work pension – application^{German text}

Authentication and signature

electronically: registration using ID Austria or EU Login
Information on the changeover from mobile phone signature and citizen cards to ID Austria^{German text}.

in writing: by means of a form; in the case of an informal application, the form must be submitted subsequently.

Means of redress or appeal

The insurance institution will make a decision on the pension application in an official notification. A complaint may be lodged with the competent Labour and Social Court within three months of delivery of the official notification.

Assistance and problem-solving services

Ombudsman service for the competent pension insurance institution