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COMPARE: Which country in Europe is the easiest to retire to?

Finishing work and heading off to a glorious new life as a retiree in Europe is the dream for many, but just how easy is it to do in reality? We compare the rules in 9 countries in Europe.

Published: 19 November 2023 10:52 CET

COMPARE: Which country in Europe is the easiest to retire to?

Retirees on the beach at La Plage de St-Laurent-sur-Mer in northern France. Photo by MYCHELE DANIAU / AFP

Whether it’s for adventure, joining family members or just seeking out better weather – moving to Europe is a popular option for many retirees.

But from Sweden to Switzerland and from France to Spain there are big differences in how easy each country makes it for people wanting to move there to retire.

This article refers to people who are already retired when they move, the situation is different for people who move to these countries and then retire.

France

France is one of the more generous countries in Europe for retirees, and it has long been a popular destination for pensioners – especially Brits – due to its combination of a high quality of living, warm weather (in the south) and excellent healthcare.

Visa – if you’re from a non-EU country such as the UK, USA or Canada you will need a visa and for most retirees the most appropriate option will be a long-stay visitor visa.

EXPLAINED: What type of French visa do I need?

In order to get this type of visa you will need to prove that you can support yourself financially and will not become a burden to the French state – the guideline amount used for this is French minimum wage, known as the SMIC. At present this is €1,747 per month gross. You will therefore need a pension or other income of at least this amount. If you don’t have a pension, you can provide evidence of having at least €20,947 in savings – equivalent to a year’s worth of minimum wage. These are guideline amounts and applications from people on lower incomes will be considered in certain circumstances – eg people who have a French home that they own outright.

You will also need to give an undertaking that you will not work in France, and provide evidence of health insurance (for Brits, the GHIC is sufficient for this).

Once in France, you will need to apply for a carte de séjour residency card, which must be renewed annually for your first five years, after which you can switch to a long-term card.

One important thing to note is that you cannot work on a visitor visa. Traditionally it was common for Brits to semi-retire to France – they might quit the day job and move to France to set up a gite or B&B, for example. However if you intend to run a business you will need a different type of visa, and will need to register as a small business.

It’s also usually not possible to ‘retire’ to France and carry on working remotely for a few days for your company back home, although there are some exceptions.

Reader question: Can I bring an ageing parent to France?

Healthcare – if you’re coming to France on a visitor visa, you will need to show proof of health insurance (which for Brits can include a GHIC or EHIC card). However, once you have been resident in France for three months you are entitled to register in the public health system and get a carte vitale, which means the state refunds some or all of your healthcare costs – full details here.

Spain

Ask many Europeans or even Americans which country they’d most like to retire to and there’s a high chance they’ll say Spain.

Freedom of movement means that for EU nationals retirement in Spain is fairly straightforward. Registering as a resident and other paperwork will be necessary but there’s no need to apply for a visa.

However, it isn’t that hard either for non-EU retirees wishing to relocate to España, as long as they have the financial means.

Visas

The best options for third-country nationals such as Americans and Britons who want to enjoy their retirement in the Spanish sun are the non-lucrative visa (NLV) and the ‘golden’ visa.

The NLV doesn’t allow applicants to work but rather to live off their savings or passive income, therefore it’s a suitable choice for pensioners. The savings you have to prove you have to obtain this visa in 2023 are €28,000 a year for an individual, €36,000 for a couple.

The golden visa on the other hand is available to people who buy a Spanish property upfront worth €500,000 (other types of investments are available).

Healthcare

You’ll also have to take out comprehensive private health insurance for either of these visas, with the same coverage as public healthcare (something more challenging for those with serious pre-existing conditions), although after a year of residency in Spain you can apply for the pay-in convenio especial scheme which gives you access for public healthcare for €60 a month if you’re under 65 and €157 if you’re over 65.

Sweden

Although Sweden may not be the obvious retirement destination – the Nordic country is hardly known for its sun, sea and sand – there are still many foreigners looking to retire to Sweden to be closer to family members who have settled there.

Permits or visas

For EU citizens, the process is relatively straightforward, with retirees covered by the EU’s freedom of movement rules if they can prove self-sufficiency.

For non-EU citizens, it’s a bit more complicated. There’s no visa or permit available for self-sufficient non-EU immigrants, meaning you can only move over if you fulfill the requirements for one of the other non-EU residence permits. As most retirees are by definition not studying or working, this essentially means you can only move over if your partner is Swedish or an EU citizen, or otherwise has the right to live in Sweden, for example by already holding a residence permit in the country.

EXPLAINED: What’s the best way to bring an ageing parent to Sweden?

There are some exceptions – you can move to Sweden if you have a long-term residence permit (EC/EU permit) from another EU country, and you might qualify for a residence permit if you have previously held a permanent residence permit in Sweden – but there’s no specific route for those planning to live off their savings, pension or invest a specific amount in the country.

EXPLAINED: How can I retire to Sweden?

Non-EU citizens who don’t qualify for any of these residence permits can still visit Sweden, of course. People from visa-free countries can visit Sweden for 90 days in every 180 days, if they don’t spend any other time in Schengen countries.

If you’re planning on staying for more than 90 days, whether you’re from a visa-free country or not, you will need to apply for a visitor visa. People who are no longer professionally active can be granted a visitor visa for up to a year in order to visit family.

Healthcare

As far as healthcare is concerned, it varies depending on the type of permit you’ll be on. EU citizens, non-EU family members of EU citizens and holders of EC/EU permits who are in Sweden under self-sufficiency rules will need comprehensive health insurance, as will non-EU citizens in Sweden on a visitor visa.

Card, status, or permit? The different types of permanent residence document in Sweden

Non-EU citizens in Sweden as the partner of a Swede do not need to take out private health insurance.

Switzerland

You must be 55 years of age or older to move to Switzerland from abroad in order to retire. The Swiss retirement age is 65.

You’ll need to demonstrate a close link to Switzerland.

This can be past residency, family ties, frequent holidays in Switzerland or real estate. This is then a decision for cantonal authorities and is often highly discretionary, with simply owning property not necessarily enough.

Whether or not it is possible to retire in Switzerland depends on nationality.

If you are a citizen of a EU / EFTA nation, you must have adequate financial resources to cover the cost of living in Switzerland after retirement — the exact amounts are determined on cantonal basis; you can check out what conditions apply in your region here.

A little-known article of the Swiss law — Article 30 of the Federal Aliens Act — allows wealthy foreigners from outside Europe to move to Switzerland — if local authorities deem that there is a “significant fiscal interest” in such a move.

These people receive the so-called ‘golden visas’ to live in Switzerland, which is actually a B permit, which will be renewed automatically as long these wealthy retirees have enough money to remain in the country, as required by their cantons of residence.

What exactly does “significant fiscal interest mean?”

This term is defined by each canton.

For instance, the lowest annual tax rate for a non-EU foreigner is 287,882 francs in Valais, 312,522 francs in Geneva, and 415,000 Vaud.

As part of the deal, you’ll need to transfer the bulk of your financial interests to Switzerland. You can transfer your pension to Switzerland provided there’s a bilateral arrangement with your country of origin. More information is available here.

Like everyone else living in Switzerland, these people must also purchase a Swiss health insurance.

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Healthcare

Switzerland’s residents are required to purchase a basic insurance coverage (KVG / LaMal), regardless of their nationality.

There are several exceptions to this rule; however, pensioners don’t fall under the exemption category.

Italy

Italy is a dream retirement destination for many people attracted by the warm climate, lower cost of living and relaxed pace of life – as well as offers such as a flat tax rate for pensioners.

For EU nationals, retirement in Italy is fairly straightforward. Registering as a resident and other paperwork will be necessary but there’s no need for a visa.

But those coming from outside of the EU often find that the road to retirement in Italy is not an easy one, mainly because of stringent visa rules and other bureaucratic processes.

Visa – If you’re from a non-EU country such as the UK, USA or Canada you will need a visa and for most retirees the most appropriate option will be an elective residency visa (ERV).

The ERV doesn’t allow applicants to work or run a business but rather to live off their savings or passive income, making it a suitable choice for pensioners – full details here.

In theory, the minimum required income for the ERV is around €31,000 per person per year, though experts warn that requirements vary enormously by consulate and are getting stricter.

Residency – Once in Italy, you will need to apply for a permesso di soggiorno residency card. This permit will be valid for one to two years, after which you can renew it. After five years, you become eligible to apply for a long-term residency permit.

Residents are liable to pay Italian income tax on all worldwide income, though pensions may not be taxed under Italy’s bilateral agreements with the US and other countries.

Italy has a seven percent flat income tax rate for people moving to certain regions with a foreign pension, but anyone planning to take up this offer may want to seek professional advice as it is subject to restrictions and a complex claims process.

Healthcare – When applying for an ERV, you will need to show proof that you already have health insurance that will cover you in Italy.

In the past many British citizens used their EHIC (European health insurance card) to cover them in the gap between arriving and getting residency status, but this is no longer allowed.

Once resident in Italy, you can choose to register with Italy’s national health service by paying a fee in proportion to your income, ranging from €387 to €2,788 per year.

Denmark

Denmark doesn’t have a retirement visa, so moving is dependent on other visas available for those not studying or working.

For EU citizens, retirees are covered by the EU’s freedom of movement rules which means they can move if they can prove financial self-sufficiency. This will provide a a temporary EU residency permit, which can be turned into a permanent residency permit after five years.

You can also get temporary EU residency as an accompanying partner of an EU citizen, however your residency will be dependent on your partner’s status.

For non-EU citizens, it’s much harder. There’s no visa or permit available for financially self-sufficient non-EU immigrants, so you have to fulfil the requirements for one of the other non-EU residence permits.

As most retirees are by definition not studying or working, this essentially means you can only move over if your partner is Danish or an EU citizen, or holds a residence permit in the country. However family reunification rules in Denmark are notoriously strict and expensive, with several criteria needing to be met including language skills.

A permanent residency permit for non-EU citizens is usually granted after 8 years.

Non-EU citizens who don’t qualify for any of these residence permits can still visit Denmark, of course. People from visa-free countries can visit Denmark for 90 days in every 180 days, if they don’t spend any other time in Schengen countries.

Healthcare

When you become a resident in Denmark, you receive a social security number (CPR), which gives you access to the country’s free healthcare system. The basic principle of the Danish welfare system is that all citizens have equal rights to social security. The majority of healthcare services are financed by general taxes and mainly provided free of charge.

For those visiting Denmark, you will need to show proof of health insurance, which for Brits can include a GHIC or EHIC card.

Norway

Permits or visas

You need to qualify for residence or have the right of residence to live in Norway. The country doesn’t have a retirement visa program.

Things tend to be quite smooth if you already have a permanent residence permit or are a Norwegian citizen.

However, if you have to qualify, you’ll need to meet several requirements as a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) citizen, including proof of sufficient income. A full list of requirements for getting a permanent residence permit in Norway can be found on the webpage of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).

If you don’t have a permanent residence permit but are an EU country citizen, you’ll have to register under the EEA registration scheme and prove that you meet the set requirements.

READ MORE: Can you move to Norway to retire?

The process is more complex if you’re not an EU/EEA state citizen. As there are no specific residence permits for this group of people, they will need to choose between the available options. Some often pursued ones include family immigration or getting a work permit in Norway and holding it until they meet the permanent residence requirements.

The circumstances and requirements for moving to Norway from a non-EU/EEA country vary based on your country of citizenship, so if you’re not an EU/EEA state citizen, you should reach out to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and ask for more information on the rules that apply in your case.

Healthcare

Norway has universal health coverage, and its healthcare system is financed through taxes, income-related employee and employer contributions, and out-of-pocket payments.

Everyone living in the country is entitled to essential medical and care services. Although you are entitled to medical services, you must pay a user fee for many services, and there’s an annual deductible.

Note that you will also need to have a valid EU Health Insurance card or be covered by private insurance to live in Norway.

Austria

Although Spain or Italy might have beaches and sun, Austria has plenty to offer someone looking for a place to spend their Golden Years.

READ ALSO: Five reasons to retire to Austria

For EU nationals, retiring in Austria is fairly straightforward. You just need to register as a resident and complete some other paperwork, but you won’t need a visa or residence permit.

The process is even relatively simple for non-EU nationals – as there is a type of retirement visa. You will need to renew it relatively frequently though.

EXPLAINED: Everything you need to know about retiring in Austria

Visa and Residence Permit – If you’re from a non-EU country such as the UK, USA, or Canada you can travel to Austria for up to three months without a visa and apply for your residence permit within three months of arriving in Austria. If you are from a country that doesn’t have visa-free travel with the EU, you will need to apply for a visa first and then your residence permit when you get to Austria.

The visa and residence permit you need to apply for is a “Settlement permit – gainful employment excluded”. This particular permit is popular with retirees as it allows people to live in Austria, but not to work.

There are some downsides, however. For one, Austria has a quote that limits the number of these permits that are given out each year. Second, the permit lasts for only a year and thus has to be renewed regularly. After five years of continuous residence in Austria, you can apply for permanent residence.

EXPLAINED: Do your pension contributions abroad count in Austria?

Self-employment – even if working for a company that’s based abroad – is not allowed under this permit. All your income must come from passive sources. These can include foreign pensions, rental income, or investment income. Singles must make at least €2,220.52 and couples a combined €3,503.12 per month from these passive income sources to qualify for this permit.

If you have dependent children – for example, perhaps grandchildren you may be taking care of full-time – you’ll need to have an additional €342.62 per child.

You’ll also need to prove that you have German skills at the A1 level. Luckily, this is the most basic level.

COMPARED: How to get a visa to settle in either Germany or Austria for retirement

Healthcare – When applying for a settlement permit for Austria, you’ll need to show that you have health insurance that covers you for at least €30,000 in costs. This is typically done through a private plan.

Once your residency is confirmed, you’re eligible then to enrol with Austrian public health insurance, typically through the ÖGK fund. You can, of course, retain additional private health insurance on top of this. But all residents of Austria mush have public insurance – with your payments calculated as a proportion of your income.

Germany

The high standard of living in Germany is a big pull for expats looking to find a spot for retirement.

Visa – Germany does not have a visa specifically for pensioners like some EU countries, but it is possible to retire there.

Retirees need to apply for a general resident’s permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) under which it will be possible to select retirement as a category.

This is the same permit for those looking to work and study in Germany – but if you would like to do either after receiving a residency permit, you will need to explicitly change the category of the visa.

Applicants from certain non-EU countries (such as the US, UK, Australia, South Africa, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Canada, and New Zealand) can first come to Germany on a normal tourist visa, and then apply for a residency permit when in the country.

However, for anyone looking to spend their later years in Germany, it’s still advisable to apply at their home country’s consulate at least three months in advance to avoid any problems.

To apply for a visa in retirement, you’ll need proof of sufficient savings (through pensions, savings and investments) as well as a valid German health insurance.

One thing to note is that in Germany, pensions are liable to tax.

Healthcare – If you have previously worked in Germany for at least five years, you could qualify for Pensioner’s Health Insurance.

Otherwise you’ll need to apply for one of the country’s many private health insurance plans.

Member comments

Anonymous - 23 November 2023 at 12:00 CET

I think the “Kathleen Poole” case is a sobering example of how retirement can go wrong for an expat residing in Europe.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

'I'm still searching for the feeling of home': Life as a trailing spouse in Sweden

Before we delve into the challenges, it’s worth noting that out of 38 respondents, only four were unhappy to have moved to Sweden, whereas 18 described themselves as happy with their choice and 16 said they were not sure. In other words, people still generally held overall positive views or were conflicted between the ups and downs of moving to Sweden as an accompanying partner.

Career struggles and difficulties breaking into Swedish society were some of the main things readers mentioned.

“It’s been a real challenge. My husband is totally fulfilled and loving life here, but after three years, I’m still jobless,” said Meg Messmer, a film and TV writer and producer.

“I have a few friends and have hit the ground trying to network. But Swedes aren’t welcoming. I’m not saying they’re not nice, because they are, when you engage them. But becoming a part of their community and network is like approaching a 200-year-old stone wall with a stepping stool. You just can’t break in,” she said.

“Luckily, as a mom in Malmö, I have lots of international parent friends that can relate, so at least I feel heard and can laugh. I enjoy the perks of the Swedish life balance having moved from the hustle of America, but I’m still searching for fulfilment and the feeling of ‘home’.”

An Australian reader in southern Sweden said she and her husband had decided to return home.

“When we arrived my husband had a job, and there was a promise of one for me, which never eventuated, so we had to reassess our plans,” she said, adding that she was grateful for having had the opportunity to live abroad and use the free time to pursue other activities.

A Jamaican reader with significant IT experience said that although he wanted to be supportive of his partner’s career in Sweden, he had found it challenging not to have employment of his own.

“I find also that the salaries are less than in other jurisdictions, but the social services easier to access and afford. I’m worried about us actually being able to sustain our vision of a future here. This is sad because I’d love to live here – it’s a beautiful country,” he said.

Out of readers who did find a job, several said that their career progression had been set back several years, that they had been forced to accept a more junior position or even change their career.

“To be blunt, it can be really fucking hard,” said Thomas Walmsley, a British freelance e-learning script writer and copywriter in Stockholm.

“I’ve been here 11 years and am the father to a two-year-old son, so I’m not going anywhere soon. On the one hand it is easy being a trailing spouse, I have not worked that much and have been able to enjoy the legal benefits of living in Stockholm. However, despite more than average free time and an outgoing personality, making friends has been frankly awful and earning respect for my work and role has been similar,” he said, but he like a lot of other readers was conflicted between the positives and negatives of life in Sweden.

“There have been many benefits to living here that are close to unique in the world. Coming from the UK there are many things both statutory and cultural that are simply superior to the UK. However, there are a number of intangible things that are much worse.”

A lot of readers spoke of an invisible glass ceiling for foreigners.

Gabrielle, a Spanish-American reader in Umeå, left a well paid job with high potential to move to the northern Swedish city. She said her husband’s employer helped her get her career and networking off the ground, but still feels like her career took a hit and although she’s working roughly in the same field six years later, she’s finding it hard to break into more senior roles.

“But I am one of the lucky ones – I have permanent employment, I can be flexible which is great for spending time with my kids. Ask me again in another six years and see if the answer changes. I either will accept my role or find a way to break through the leadership ceiling in Sweden,” she said, adding that family life was the best thing about the move, which she said was right for her children.

Another thing that bothered readers was the gap between their partner’s career and their own, and having to depend on another person. This further added to people’s struggles to find community, as their working partner was often faster to make friends and contacts at work.

“On one hand I am happy that my husband is happy in his job, but on the other, I end up being a ‘dependent’. I keep myself busy attending my SFI classes, household work, looking after children but desperately applying for jobs too. But I am not sure where the applications are going. They are simply not answered. I would love to have an interview, to speak with a person from my industry and give me feedback on what I can do differently here. I constantly meet people at forums, network, but so far no luck,” said Rohini from India.

“Sweden is great. The schools are excellent, the support system the teachers give to us parents while we study is outstanding,” she added. “It’s just that landing a job is extremely challenging here. I had a respectable job in my country, and a work experience of more than 10 years in international organisations, but when I am not even shortlisted let alone being interviewed or hired, it gets more depressing by the day.”

Not knowing Swedish turned out to be a bigger barrier than most people expected.

“We moved here almost five years ago for my husband’s job, with our young son. I had a successful career in the UK and assumed after a few months settling in, I would find work. Everyone said I wouldn’t need Swedish. Having native English would be enough for most roles. That’s not what I have found,” said Rebecca in Gothenburg, whose career development was further delayed by the Covid pandemic and being pregnant with her second child.

“But my youngest son is now three-and-a-half and I’m still struggling. I had over 15 years’ experience and an impressive CV, but here that hasn’t even got me an interview 99 percent of the time,” she said. “I’m currently volunteering and working an internship which can sometimes feel demoralising when I was once so much more successful.”

Rebecca like many other readers who responded to the survey was however also keen to stress the positives of living in Sweden, and she said there were “so many plus points being here”.

“We have made a lot of friends, both Swedish and international. That side I haven’t found as difficult as people say it can be. Perhaps it’s the area we live in, or perhaps the age of our kids, but friendships have been easy for us, as has a sense of community. Overall a positive experience. If only I could get paid work,” she said.

Sindija Svintecka from Latvia, also believes that the pros outweighs the cons on the whole.

“You can’t get a normal job if you don’t speak Swedish. I was very upset and disappointed. I graduated from university, I speak four languages, I have hotel and restaurant manager work experience and all I could get in Sweden was a cleaning job,” she said.

But she added that she had since learned Swedish with the help of supportive teachers: “Education is free in Sweden and that is amazing! You can be whoever you want to be and it doesn’t matter if you need to start your life from zero at the age of 40. If there is a will, there is a way.”

One common unspoken theme, which nobody explicitly addressed in exactly that many words, was that although a lot of readers found the job market extremely challenging, those who had managed to find community in some way – be it friends or assistance from their partner’s company – seemed more comfortable taking on that challenge and were generally happier with their life in Sweden on the whole.

“Not speaking Swedish on my arrival and people in Norrland being a bit shy to speak English made it a bit hard to find a community,” said Raphaël from Switzerland, who moved to northern Sweden in 2018 after his partner found a job with a governmental agency. But putting his sporty side to good use by joining several sports clubs helped him both develop his Swedish and find friends.

“It being summer helped to appreciate the place: lots of water, forests, long sunny days. It took me some time to settle and call Sweden home, despite buying a house quite rapidly after moving. Looking back, it was time-consuming to go through all the administrative paperwork, visiting agencies upon agencies and waiting a long time to get an ID card or personnummer,” he said.

Taylor Hynes from the US said that the Swedish lifestyle had offered her perks that she would never have experienced back home.

“In many ways, being a ‘trailing spouse’ has been a delight. Though I had never visited Sweden before moving, Stockholm is a wonderful and beautiful city. A part of me has felt that I was brought along for a vacation in some ways. We both met community quite early on into being here so there hasn’t been much of an imbalance with community based on who has a job. It’s also nice that I have healthcare while I look for work,” she said, but she too was concerned that the tough labour market would ultimately force her and her partner to leave.

“It’s been much harder to find a job than I expected. I would say I’m mid-level in my career, which was hazard mitigation research and project management work in the US. I didn’t realise that every job that meets my experience would require knowing Swedish, which does make sense. I’m a little worried that if I can’t find something soon, we may have to move on.”

Finding community was for many not just based on having friends, but also the feeling that someone in Sweden had their back, looked out for them and was willing to help if needed.

“I am very happy that I moved to Sweden. I like the culture, the mentality, the climate and the Swedish approach to recycling. I admire many things that have been and are being created in Sweden. After a year and a half, I feel at home here despite the difficulties,” said Darya in Malmö, despite falling into burnout and despair after struggling to find a job, before she landed a freelance contract thanks to networking.

“Returning from other countries, I am glad to be in Sweden – I feel calm and safe here. Friends I have made here have greatly helped me feel at ease. I have a small diaspora here, and they have become my bridge to Sweden. I don’t know if I could feel this way without them in my life. A community is incredibly important for those who have moved to a new country.”

Rajeev, an Indian reader in Helsingborg, who was still looking for a job but enjoyed his life nonetheless, said: “It’s always wonderful to migrate to a new country. And Sweden has a lot of opportunities too. When my wife got a job in her field I left my job in India without a thought to settle my family down in Sweden, and after eight months of being here I don’t regret the decision.”

“Yes, finding a job is a bit cumbersome, but learning the language here and getting to know some people and more importantly mingling and getting to know the culture has been the best.”

Many thanks to everyone who responded to our survey. Would you like to share your own thoughts? Join in the comments below.

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