The following rules apply if you become unemployed in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Where to claim benefits

You must register with the employment services and claim unemployment benefits in the country where you last worked, unless you reside in another country. 
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If you reside in another country

• If you reside in another EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and you returned there daily, or at least once a week, you must register with the employment services and claim benefits in the country where you reside. This is the situation of some cross-border workers, called "frontier workers" in the EU regulations. You may also register, as a supplementary step, with the employment services of the country where you worked and look for a job there, but the benefits will still only be paid by your country of residence.
• If you reside in another EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland but you return there less than once a week, you may choose to return to your country of residence or to stay in the country of last employment and register with the employment services and claim benefits in the country where you decide to look for employment. You may also register, as a supplementary step, with the employment services of the country not providing the benefits. This is typically the situation of seasonal workers.

Find out about your rights country by country

If you are partially unemployed

If you are only partially unemployed, the country responsible for your unemployment benefits is always the one where you are still partially working.

Adding up periods of work completed abroad

When dealing with your claim, institutions must take into account periods of insurance completed in other EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, if this is necessary to your entitlement to the benefits. 
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Your benefits when looking for a job abroad

If you want to look for a job in a different EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you may carry on receiving your unemployment benefits, under certain conditions, for three months (this period may be extended up to six months). Details are provided under our frequently asked questions.

More information

Check our frequently asked questions for further information.