Social security totalisation agreements in Argentina: which countries, what they cover, and how to claim

Key rules

Argentina's domestic system in brief

Who must contribute

Law 24.241 makes SIPA membership compulsory for everyone over 18 who works as an employee anywhere in Argentina, in permanent, temporary or occasional work in the private sector (art. 2(a)(5)), and for self employed workers (art. 2(b)). Nationality and residence status are irrelevant. Two rules matter for international mobility:

• Argentines sent abroad stay covered. People who, under a contract signed or a relationship started in Argentina, or on a transfer ordered by the employer, work abroad remain compulsorily covered, provided they had their real domicile in Argentina when the contract, relationship or transfer began (art. 2(a)(6)). Without an agreement, an Argentine posted to a non agreement country can end up insured in both places.
• Foreign specialists hired abroad can be exempted once. Professionals, researchers, scientists and technicians contracted abroad to work in Argentina for no more than two years and only once are excepted from SIPA if they do not have permanent residence and are covered for old age, invalidity and death by the law of their country of nationality or permanent residence. The worker or employer must apply to the enforcement authority. The exemption does not prevent voluntary membership, and it does not modify the international agreements (Law 24.241 art. 4). Law 26.566 art. 5 extended the period to four years only for staff of the nuclear projects covered by that law; the Infoleg note under art. 4 reads more broadly than the law itself, so do not rely on four years for ordinary employers.

Contribution rates (October 2026)

The maximum base in art. 9 caps only the employee contributions (art. 10(a) and (c)); employer contributions are due on the full salary. Whether the cap also limits the INSSJP and health contributions of the employee is not stated in the downloaded texts (unconfirmed).

Who qualifies for an ordinary pension

Law 26.425 (2008) closed the private capitalisation scheme and moved everyone into a single public pay as you go system (arts. 1 and 3). Treaty clauses written for the old individual accounts administrators (AFJP), such as Spain art. 15 and Chile art. 15, are therefore spent on the Argentine side; Chile's own clauses on its private pension fund system still matter on the Chilean side (Chile art. 13).

Law 27.802 (labor modernization, BO 6 Mar 2026): what touches social security

Law 27.802 does not mention international social security agreements, posted workers or totalisation (search of the downloaded text). Its social security effects are domestic:

• Formalisation incentive (RIFL). For new hires under the Labor Formalisation Incentive Regime (Régimen de Incentivo a la Formalización Laboral, RIFL), which lasts one year from the first day of the second month after the law took effect (art. 156), the employer pays a combined 2% to SIPA, the Employment Fund and family allowances and 3% to INSSJP for the first 48 months (art. 159). Employers rehiring a worker within 12 months of dismissal cannot use it (art. 160). Whether a posted foreigner who is newly registered in SIPA would count as a "new relationship" is not addressed (unconfirmed).
• Severance fund (FAL). A monthly contribution of 1% (large companies) or 2.5% (MiPyMEs) to Labor Assistance Funds, on the base for SIPA employer contributions (art. 60), with an equivalent reduction in employer social security contributions (art. 76). Decree 1228/2026 (BO 20 Oct 2026) amended a FAL provision according to an Infoleg note (unconfirmed).
• Regularisation of unregistered work. Regularised workers may count up to 60 months of service for the PBU, invalidity and survivors' pensions, but not for the PC or PAP (art. 170).
• Employer health contribution. Kept at 6% but moved into Law 23.660 from 1 Jan 2027 (arts. 165 and 166).

Agreements in force: dates and approving laws

The start dates come from the official list "Convenios internacionales de Seguridad Social vigentes" on argentina.gob.ar. The law numbers and Boletín Oficial (BO) dates come from Infoleg.

Inconsistencies you should know about:

• Portugal: the official list gives 1 Nov 2004, but the convention approved by Law 26.948 was signed on 9 Nov 2007 and approved in 2014. The 2004 date cannot be the start date of that text. Either the list refers to another instrument or the date is an error (unconfirmed). The 1966 convention (Law 17.219) also exists; which text applies to which periods must be confirmed with ANSES (unconfirmed).
• Peru: the convention dates from 1979 and was approved in 1980, but the official list gives 6 Jul 2011 (unconfirmed).
• Ibero American Convention membership: the list of countries in the in force table (Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Portugal and Argentina) omits Colombia and the Dominican Republic, which the ministry's own information page includes (unconfirmed).
• Source file labelling: in this page's source folder, the file named l26949_spain_supplementary actually contains Law 26.949 approving the Luxembourg convention. There is no separate Spanish supplementary agreement in the folder beyond the 2005 protocol (Law 26.273).

The old Brazil and Uruguay bilaterals

Argentina had bilateral conventions with Uruguay (signed 29 Nov 1974, Law 21.028) and Brazil (signed 20 Aug 1980, Law 22.594). The Mercosur Multilateral Agreement art. 17(4) provides that, from its entry into force, the bilateral social security agreements between the Mercosur States are repealed, but rights acquired under them are not lost. For any claim made today with Brazilian, Uruguayan or Paraguayan periods, use the Mercosur Agreement. The old texts matter only for pensions already granted under them. Note that the old Uruguay convention allowed only 12 months of posting (art. 3), the same as Mercosur.

Chile has a similar history: the 1996 convention replaces the 1971 convention (Chile art. 25), and rights in course of acquisition are governed by whichever text is more favourable (art. 26(2)).

What each agreement covers

"Argentine side" lists the Argentine legislation the agreement applies to, according to article 2 (or equivalent) of each text. Health and work accident coverage are often limited to the "applicable law" rules and do not create cross border medical care.

The ministry page warns that "not all agreements cover the same benefits": some cover only pensions, others add health or work risks. That matches the table.

1. Equal treatment

Workers covered by an agreement have the same rights and obligations as nationals of the State whose law applies (Spain art. 4; Chile art. 4; Belgium art. 4; Mercosur art. 2; Ibero American Convention art. 4; Italy art. 4). Under Chile art. 3, Belgium art. 3 and Spain art. 3 nationality is irrelevant: a US citizen who worked in Chile and Argentina can use the Chile agreement. The old Peru convention is narrower: it applies to nationals and non nationals only "provided they reside in one of these countries" (Peru art. 1).

2. One country's law at a time (applicable legislation)

The general rule in every agreement reviewed is that a worker is insured only in the country where the work is physically performed, whatever the residence of the worker or the seat of the employer (Spain art. 6; Chile art. 6; Mercosur art. 4; Ibero American Convention art. 9; Belgium art. 7(1)(a); Italy art. 8(2)(a); Portugal 2007 art. 8; Luxembourg art. 8(a)). Exceptions cover posted workers, air crew, seafarers, diplomats and civil servants.

3. Posted workers (detachment)

A worker sent temporarily by an employer based in one country remains insured only in the home country for a limited time. During that time, no contributions are due in the host country under the legislation covered by the agreement.

Practical point: the restrictive task lists (Chile after 2008, Spain, Ecuador, Portugal, Mercosur, Ibero American) mean that a posted sales clerk or administrative assistant may not qualify. Spain allows auxiliary staff only "with the requirements and in the cases" detailed in the administrative agreement (unconfirmed).

4. Choosing between a bilateral and the Ibero American Convention

The Ibero American Convention applies fully where no bilateral exists, and where a bilateral or multilateral agreement does exist "the provisions most favourable to the beneficiary apply" (art. 8). For Chile, Spain, Portugal, Peru and Ecuador, Argentina therefore has two instruments. Which is more favourable is a question per provision; the convention requires the States to notify the more favourable provisions to the OISS secretariat (art. 8, Annex IV). For posting, the bilateral is often better (Chile and Spain: 24 months versus 12 plus 12). How ANSES picks the instrument in practice, and whether the employer may choose, is not set out in the downloaded texts (unconfirmed).

5. Totalisation and pro rata calculation

All the texts reviewed follow the same three steps:

1. Own law only. Each institution first checks whether the person qualifies using only its own periods. If so, it grants a full national benefit (Spain art. 9(1); Mercosur Regulation art. 7(1); Ibero American Convention art. 13(1)(a); Italy art. 15(2)). Spain art. 9(3) and Belgium art. 12(1) require the institution to pay whichever is more favourable: the national benefit or the pro rata benefit.
2. Totalisation. If the person does not qualify, the institution adds the other country's periods, provided they do not overlap (Spain art. 9(2); Chile art. 9(1); Mercosur Regulation art. 6(1)(a); Ibero American Convention art. 5).
3. Theoretical and pro rata amount. The institution computes the benefit as if all totalised years had been worked under its own law (theoretical pension) and then pays the share equal to its own years divided by total years (Spain art. 9(2)(A) and (B); Chile art. 10(2); Belgium art. 12(2); Italy art. 15(3); Mercosur Regulation art. 7(3); Ibero American Convention art. 13(1)(b)).

Further rules:

• Cap on years. If one country requires a maximum number of years for a full pension, only that maximum is used for the proportion (Spain art. 9(2)(C); Italy art. 15(3)(c); Ibero American Convention art. 13(3); Chile art. 13(5) on the Chilean side).
• Earnings base. Each country uses only its own salaries or contributions to compute the theoretical benefit (Italy art. 15(4); Ibero American Convention art. 13(4); Spain art. 14 for Spain). For Argentina, this means the PC and PAP average is built only on Argentine salaries (unconfirmed).
• Periods under one year. A country where the person has less than one year (Mercosur: under 12 months) need not pay anything, but the other country counts those periods (Spain art. 10; Chile art. 9(2); Italy art. 15(5); Mercosur art. 7(2); Ibero American Convention art. 14). If all periods are short, they must still be totalised if that creates a right (Spain art. 10(2); Ibero American Convention art. 14(3)); under Mercosur the last State where the conditions are met pays (Regulation art. 6(2)).
• Overlaps. Compulsory periods prevail over voluntary periods; unknown dates are presumed not to overlap (Spain art. 17; Ibero American Convention art. 15; Application Agreement art. 14). Spain's 2005 protocol adds the value of voluntary periods that were not counted because they overlapped (Law 26.273, protocol art. 2).
• Third country periods. Under Mercosur, if the person still has no right, periods in a third country linked to a Mercosur State by an agreement can count, and if only one Mercosur State has that agreement, that State assumes the period (Mercosur art. 7(3) and (4)). Italy art. 15(1)(c) has a similar rule for Italian and Argentine nationals only.
• Pre agreement periods count (Spain art. 27; Chile art. 24; Ibero American Convention art. 25(2)). Under Mercosur, earlier periods count only if the worker also has periods after entry into force and they were not used for a benefit elsewhere (Mercosur art. 8; Regulation art. 6(1)(b)).
• Minimum pension. Italy art. 17 guarantees that the sum of both pensions is not lower than the minimum of the State of residence. Spain, Chile and Mercosur contain no such guarantee. Whether ANSES tops up an Argentine pro rata pension to the SIPA minimum (ARS 435,748.51) or applies the 82% SMVM supplement of art. 125 bis to totalised careers is not stated in the downloaded sources (unconfirmed).
• Indexation. Pro rata pensions follow the same indexation as domestic pensions, and Spain allows the indexation itself to be pro rated (Spain art. 19; Ibero American Convention art. 7).
• Israel specific condition. An Israeli old age pension requires residence in Israel or Argentina immediately before pension age and 144 months of insurance (Israel art. 14).

6. Export of benefits

Pensions are not reduced, suspended or withheld because the beneficiary lives in the other State (Spain art. 5; Chile art. 5; Mercosur art. 12; Ibero American Convention art. 6; Italy art. 5). Several texts extend this to residence in third countries on the same terms as own nationals (Spain art. 5(2); Chile art. 5(2); Belgium art. 5(2)). Exceptions exist: Swiss invalidity pensions below 50% and extraordinary pensions are paid only in Switzerland under the pending Swiss agreement (art. 5(2)); Belgian invalidity benefits need prior authorisation for stays in Argentina (Belgium art. 18).

7. Currency and transfers

Payments may be made in the paying country's currency (Spain art. 23; Mercosur art. 11) or, for Chile, also in US dollars (Chile art. 19). If exchange restrictions arise, the parties must take measures to guarantee transfers (Spain art. 23(2); Chile art. 19(2)).

8. Liaison bodies and competent authorities

The competent authority named in the older texts is the former Ministry of Labour and Social Security (or Ministry of Social Action for Italy). Today it is the Ministry of Human Capital, whose Undersecretariat of Social Security negotiates agreements (ministry page).

9. Documents and fees

Documents issued under the agreements are exempt from legalisation and consular visas (Spain art. 22; Chile art. 18; Mercosur art. 13 if processed through an institution; Ibero American Convention art. 21(1); Italy art. 22). Exemptions from stamp and registration fees extend to the other State's documents (Spain art. 22(1); Chile art. 18(1); Ibero American Convention art. 22). Mercosur and Ibero American documents need no official translation if handled through an institution or liaison body (Mercosur art. 13(1); Ibero American Convention art. 21(1)).

Agreements approved but not in force

The Netherlands appears in Infoleg only with Law 26.101 (BO 21 Jun 2006) on the reciprocal export of social security benefits. That is not a totalisation agreement and is not on the official list (unconfirmed).

Countries with no agreement

The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada (until in force), Switzerland (until in force), China, Japan, Mexico and Australia do not appear in the official in force list (unconfirmed). Consequences:

• No totalisation. Years worked there do not count for the 30 year SIPA requirement, and Argentine years do not count abroad under any Argentine instrument.
• Double contributions are possible: Argentina taxes all work done in Argentina (Law 24.241 art. 2(a)(5)), and the home country may continue to require contributions under its own law (unconfirmed).
• Escape routes: the art. 4 exemption for foreign specialists hired abroad (up to two years, once, with home pension cover, on application); or, for nationals of Mercosur or Ibero American countries working through such countries, the multilateral instruments, which apply regardless of nationality (Mercosur art. 2(2) requires residence in a State Party; Ibero American Convention art. 2).

Step by step

A. Posting an employee to Argentina (inbound)

1. Check the agreement and the task. Confirm the home country is on the in force list and that the role is within the posting article (for example "professional, research, scientific, technical or management" tasks under Spain art. 7, Chile art. 7(2), Mercosur art. 5).
2. Apply in the home country before departure. The home country's institution or liaison body issues the certificate at the employer's request (Mercosur Regulation art. 3(1); Application Agreement art. 7(1)). Deadlines: Mercosur at least 30 days before the posting starts, otherwise the worker falls automatically under Argentine law from the first day (Regulation art. 3(4)); Ibero American at least 20 days before, with retroactive effect possible if justified (Application Agreement art. 7(5)).
3. Content of the certificate. Worker and employer details, posting dates, name and address of the host entity, issuing institution and date (Application Agreement art. 7(2)). Under Mercosur it also lists accompanying family members (Regulation art. 3(1)). Give a copy to the worker.
4. Argentine payroll. Register the worker with ARCA (Law 27.802 art. 155 makes ARCA registration the single labour registration). How the employer flags in the monthly social security return (F.931 / SICOSS (unconfirmed)) that pension contributions are not due, and whether health and ART still apply, is not described in the sources (unconfirmed). The answer depends on the agreement: if the agreement does not cover health or work accidents (for example Spain covers work risks; Ecuador does not), the posted worker may still have to be covered for those branches in Argentina (unconfirmed).
5. Migration. The certificate does not authorise work. The worker still needs a residence that allows work (see Hiring foreigners).
6. Extension. File before the initial period ends (Belgium art. 8(2); France art. 6; Switzerland art. 7(1)); under Mercosur and the Ibero American Convention through the home institution, which asks for Argentina's express consent (Regulation art. 3(3); Application Agreement art. 7(3)).
7. Early end. The employer must notify the institution if the posting ends early or the employment ends (Regulation art. 3(2); Application Agreement art. 7(6)).

B. Posting an Argentine employee abroad (outbound)

The Argentine employer applies to ANSES for the certificate that the worker stays in SIPA. The employer keeps paying Argentine contributions (Law 24.241 art. 2(a)(6)). ANSES forms, online channel and processing time are not published in the sources downloaded (the ANSES site refused automated access) (unconfirmed).

C. Claiming a pension with foreign periods

1. Where to file. In the country of residence, at the institution or liaison body (Mercosur Regulation art. 8(1); Application Agreement art. 16(1)). Residents of a third country file in the country where they were last insured (Regulation art. 8(2); Application Agreement art. 16(2)). In Argentina, ANSES through its international agreements unit (ministry page).
2. The date counts in both countries. A claim in one State counts as a claim in the other if the person mentions or the documents show periods there (Spain art. 20(2); Ibero American Convention art. 21(3); Italy art. 25(2)). Under the Ibero American text, an old age claim is not treated as filed in a State where the person has not reached pension age or asks to defer (Application Agreement art. 16(5)).
3. Documents. Identity, employment certificates, names of foreign institutions and employers (Application Agreement art. 17). The liaison form replaces sending original evidence to the other country (Application Agreement art. 19(2)).
4. Processing. The receiving institution sends the liaison form; the other certifies its periods and decides its own share (Mercosur Regulation arts. 9 and 10; Application Agreement art. 20).
5. Decisions. Each country issues its own decision, with its own appeal routes and deadlines, which start only on notification (Application Agreement art. 22; Mercosur Regulation art. 11). Appeals filed in the other country in time are valid (Mercosur art. 15; Spain art. 20(1)).
6. Invalidity. Each country assesses invalidity under its own law but considers the other's medical reports (Spain art. 13; Chile art. 12; Application Agreement art. 15). Who pays for exams varies (Spain art. 13(3); Mercosur art. 10: the requesting institution).
7. Time and cost. No filing fee is mentioned in the agreements; the texts promise free mutual assistance (Chile art. 17(1); Ibero American Convention art. 20(2)). Processing times are not published (unconfirmed).

Worked examples

Facts. A man aged 65 applies in Buenos Aires in October 2026. He has 18 years of contributions in Argentina (all after July 1994, so all count for the PAP) and 12 years in Spain, with no overlap. His updated average Argentine salary for the PAP is ARS 2,000,000 a month (assumption for illustration; ANSES computes the real figure under Law 24.241 art. 24(a) and the indices of Disposition DI-2026-10-APN-SSSS#MCH).

Step 1: own law only. 18 years is less than the 30 years required by Law 24.241 art. 19(c). The age compensation rule (2 years of age for each missing year) would need 24 extra years of age, so he has no Argentine ordinary pension on his own periods. The advanced age benefit (art. 34 bis) needs age 70.

Step 2: totalisation. Under Spain art. 9(2), ANSES adds the 12 Spanish years: 18 + 12 = 30 years. He now qualifies.

Step 3: theoretical pension (as if all 30 years were Argentine).

The theoretical amount is between the October 2026 minimum (ARS 435,748.51) and maximum (ARS 2,932,174.85), so neither limit bites.

Step 4: pro rata share (Spain art. 9(2)(B)). 18 / 30 = 60%.

Step 5: the Spanish side. The Spanish institution does the same exercise under Spanish law: a theoretical Spanish pension on 30 years using his Spanish contribution bases (Spain art. 14), multiplied by 12/30, or a pension on Spanish periods alone if more favourable (art. 9(3)). The Spanish amount depends on Spanish law and is not sourced here (unconfirmed).

Points to check. (a) Whether ANSES applies art. 125 bis (82% of SMVM for 30 years with "actual contributions") to a career completed by totalisation (unconfirmed). (b) Whether a pro rata pension below the SIPA minimum is topped up; the Spain agreement has no minimum clause, unlike Italy art. 17 (unconfirmed). (c) The theoretical PAP uses only Argentine salaries (Ibero American Convention art. 13(4) states this; the Spain agreement is silent for Argentina) (unconfirmed). (d) Under art. 9(2)(C), if Spanish law caps the years for a full pension, ANSES uses only the Spanish years needed; Argentina has no such cap for the PBU, but the PC is capped at 35 years (art. 24).

Without the agreement he would get nothing from SIPA at 65 and would have to wait until 70 for the advanced age benefit (70% of the PBU plus PAP), and only if 5 of his 10 years fell in the 8 years before he stopped working (art. 34 bis(2)(b)).

Facts. A Spanish company sends an engineering director to its Buenos Aires subsidiary for 24 months from 1 Nov 2026. Monthly salary paid in Argentina: ARS 6,000,000 (about US$3,836.56). The subsidiary is a large services employer (20.40% under Law 27.541 art. 19(a)). We ignore the 13th month salary (SAC), ART premiums and group life insurance (unconfirmed).

Scenario A: certificate of coverage obtained (Spain art. 7(1)(A)). The engineer stays only under Spanish social security for up to 24 months. The Argentine SIPA, INSSJP and family allowance contributions covered by the agreement are not due. Note that the Spain agreement covers pensions, maternity and work risks but not health, so whether the 3% and 6% health insurance contributions are still due in Argentina must be confirmed (unconfirmed).

Scenario B: no certificate (or not eligible). Argentine contributions apply in full on top of whatever Spain charges.

(If the subsidiary paid the 18% rate under art. 19(b), the employer cost would be 24% and the 24 month total ARS 54,020,096.40, about US$34,541.91.)

What the certificate saves. If the whole amount above fell away, the saving would be about ARS 57.5 million (US$36,752) over the two years. If health contributions remain due because the Spain agreement does not cover health, the saving is reduced by the health share: 3% of 4,769,631.49 (ARS 143,088.94) plus 6% of 6,000,000 (ARS 360,000) a month, ARS 12,074,134.56 (about US$7,720.53) over 24 months (unconfirmed).

What the worker gains in scenario B. Two Argentine years, which count toward SIPA only if he later totalises them (Spain art. 9) or reaches 30 years. In Spain he would still be insured if Spain requires continued contributions for postings outside the agreement (unconfirmed). Under scenario B those two years of Argentine contributions also count in Spain via totalisation, but only the pro rata Argentine share is ever paid back, and periods under one year are paid by nobody in Argentina (Spain art. 10).

Variant: secondment from Chile. The same structure applies under Chile art. 7(2): 24 months for professional, research, scientific, technical or management tasks, extendable with Argentine consent. Under the Ibero American Convention the limit would be 12 + 12 months (art. 10(a)), so the bilateral is more favourable for a 24 month posting, and art. 8 of the Convention points to the more favourable rule. A Chilean secondee who remains in the Chilean private pension fund system may also pay voluntary contributions to it while in Argentina (Chile art. 13(3)).

Facts. A US company employs a US citizen who moves to Buenos Aires to work for its new Argentine branch for 18 months. Salary in Argentina ARS 6,000,000 a month.

1. No agreement. The US does not appear in the official list (unconfirmed), so no certificate of coverage is available.
2. Default rule. Working in Argentina means compulsory SIPA coverage (Law 24.241 art. 2(a)(5)). The scenario B figures of example 2 apply: about ARS 2.39 million (US$1,531) a month.
3. Art. 4 exemption. If the employee is a professional, researcher, scientist or technician contracted abroad, for no more than two years, for the first time, without Argentine permanent residence, and covered for old age, invalidity and death under US law, the worker or employer can apply for exemption (Law 24.241 art. 4). The exemption covers SIPA; whether it also covers INSSJP, health insurance, family allowances and the employment fund is not stated in art. 4 (unconfirmed). The form, the authority that receives the application (now ARCA or ANSES) and the evidence of US coverage required are not sourced (unconfirmed).
4. After two years the exemption cannot be repeated.
5. Pension outcome. Without the exemption, 18 months of Argentine contributions will almost certainly never produce an Argentine pension (30 years required) and cannot be totalised with US periods.

Practical traps

1. "Approved by law" does not mean "in force". Canada, Korea, Switzerland and San Marino have approving laws but are not on the official in force list. Do not plan secondments on their 36 month posting rules yet.
2. Late applications. Under Mercosur, filing less than 30 days before the posting starts makes the worker fall automatically under the host country's law from day one (Regulation art. 3(4)).
3. Wrong task. Several agreements cover only professional, research, scientific, technical or management staff. Since the 2008 amendment (Law 26.526), this includes Chile.
4. Substitution bans. Belgium, Ecuador, France, Israel, Luxembourg and San Marino prohibit sending a worker to replace another posted worker whose period has ended.
5. Rolling postings. The Ibero American Application Agreement bars a new posting of the same worker until 12 months have passed since the maximum period was exhausted (art. 6(2)). Korea grants detachment only once per employer and employee (art. 7(1)(d)).
6. Health is often outside the agreement. The Ibero American Convention excludes medical benefits (art. 3(1)); Spain, Belgium, Ecuador, Israel and Luxembourg do not cover health on the Argentine side. A posted worker may still need Argentine health cover (unconfirmed).
7. Periods under one year may be paid by nobody in the country where they were worked (Spain art. 10; Mercosur art. 7(2)).
8. Mercosur texts are outdated. They name AFJPs and ANSSAL; ANSES remains the liaison body.
9. Two instruments for one country. Chile, Spain, Portugal, Peru and Ecuador are both bilateral partners and Ibero American parties. Read both; the most favourable provision applies (Ibero American Convention art. 8).
10. The art. 4 exemption is "once" and "up to two years", needs an application and proof of home coverage, and does not stop the worker from opting in. The four year extension of Law 26.566 is only for nuclear projects.
11. Argentines abroad stay covered if the employment started in Argentina while they lived there (art. 2(a)(6)): without an agreement, the employer may pay in both countries.
12. Pensions under the 1966 Portugal or 1974 Uruguay conventions keep their own rules for acquired rights; new claims use the newer instruments.
13. Official list errors. The Portugal and Peru dates in the official list do not match the treaty history. Ask ANSES which instrument and date it applies before filing (unconfirmed).
14. Treaty clauses on Argentine private accounts (AFJP) in the Spain and Chile agreements are obsolete after Law 26.425.

Recent changes

Pending changes

• Entry into force of the Canada, Korea, Switzerland and San Marino agreements, and signature of the Korea Administrative Arrangement (unconfirmed).
• Administrative agreements for the bilaterals (which fix the liaison bodies, forms and certificate procedure) were not downloaded; most are linked from the official list as PDFs (unconfirmed).
• Colombia and Slovenia: treaty texts not available in the downloaded sources.
• ANSES procedure: online channel, forms, documents and timelines for certificates and pension claims (unconfirmed). The ANSES page linked by the ministry blocked automated download.
• Payroll coding of posted workers and art. 4 exempt workers in the monthly social security return (unconfirmed).
• Law 27.802 regulation of RIFL and FAL and its interaction with posted foreign staff (unconfirmed).
• Minimum pension and art. 125 bis for pro rata pensions (unconfirmed).

FAQ

1. I worked 15 years in Argentina and 15 in Spain. Can I get an Argentine pension? Yes, if you meet the Argentine age (65 men, 60 women). Spain's 15 years are added to reach 30 (Spain art. 9(2)), and ANSES pays 15/30 of the theoretical Argentine pension. Spain pays its own share separately. The ministry page uses this exact example.

2. Does the agreement give me one pension or two? Two: each country pays its own pro rata share under its own law, and each issues its own decision (Spain art. 9(3); Application Agreement art. 22).

3. Do I need to file in both countries? No. One claim in your country of residence counts in the other country on the same date if you mention your periods there (Spain art. 20(2); Mercosur Regulation art. 8(3); Ibero American Convention art. 21(3)).

4. How long can my employer post me to Argentina without Argentine contributions? It depends on the agreement: 12 months (Mercosur, Peru, Portugal, Luxembourg, Ecuador and Ibero American, each extendable) or 24 months (Spain, Chile, Italy, Greece, Israel, France, Belgium, each with some extension). See the posting table above.

5. My home country has no agreement with Argentina. Must I pay Argentine contributions? Generally yes (Law 24.241 art. 2(a)(5)). A foreign professional, researcher, scientist or technician hired abroad for up to two years, once, with home pension coverage, can apply for exemption from SIPA (art. 4).

6. Is the United States covered? The United States does not appear in the official list of agreements in force (unconfirmed). There is no Argentine instrument to totalise US periods or exempt US secondees, other than art. 4.

7. Are the Canada and Switzerland agreements usable now? Not on the evidence of the official list downloaded on 26 Oct 2026. Congress approved them (Laws 27.770 and 27.816), but they enter into force only after diplomatic notifications (Canada art. 31; Switzerland art. 36) (unconfirmed).

8. I have Brazilian years under the old Argentina Brazil convention. Which rules apply? The Mercosur Multilateral Agreement repealed the bilateral from its entry into force (1 June 2005), but rights acquired under it are kept (Mercosur art. 17(4)). New claims use Mercosur.

9. Will my pension be paid if I live abroad? Yes. Agreement pensions are not reduced because you live in the other State, and several agreements also pay in third countries (Spain art. 5; Chile art. 5; Mercosur art. 12; Ibero American Convention art. 6).

10. Do agreements cover health care? Some do (Italy, Greece, Peru, Portugal, France; Mercosur for posted workers with authorisation; Chile for pensioners), many do not (Spain, Belgium, Ecuador, Israel, Luxembourg). The Ibero American Convention excludes medical benefits (art. 3(1)).

11. I worked only 10 months in Chile. Do they count? Chile need not pay a benefit for periods under one year if they give no right on their own, but Argentina counts them for its totalisation (Chile art. 9(2)).

12. Did the 2026 labor reform change the agreements? No. Law 27.802 changed domestic contribution incentives, the FAL severance fund and regularisation credits, but contains no provision on international agreements.

Primary sources

• Ministry of Human Capital, Convenios internacionales de Seguridad Social
• Ministry of Human Capital, Convenios internacionales de Seguridad Social vigentes
• Law 24.241 (SIPA), consolidated text
• Law 26.425 (SIPA unification), consolidated text
• Law 27.802 (labor modernization)
• Law 25.655 (Mercosur Multilateral Agreement and Administrative Regulation)
• Law 26.603 (Ibero American Multilateral Convention)
• OISS, Ibero American Convention text
• OISS, Application Agreement (Sept 2009)
• Law 25.707 (Spain)
• Law 26.273 (Spain protocol)
• Law 26.525 (Chile)
• Law 26.526 (Chile amendment)
• Law 26.950 (Belgium)
• Law 22.861 (Italy)
• Law 23.501 (Greece)
• Law 22.306 (Peru)
• Law 17.219 (Portugal 1966)
• Law 26.948 (Portugal 2007), scanned text
• Law 26.949 (Luxembourg), scanned text
• Law 26.752 (France), scanned text
• Law 26.465 (Slovenia)
• Law 27.408 (Ecuador), text
• Law 27.641 (Israel), text
• Law 27.770 (Canada), text
• Law 27.771 (Korea), text
• Law 27.816 (Switzerland), text
• Law 27.817 (San Marino), text
• Law 21.028 (Uruguay 1974, superseded)
• Law 22.594 (Brazil 1980, superseded)

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• Probation periods and hiring in Argentina: the trial period and the first months of employment
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