— With the increasing number of elderly people, what is the fund's strategy for ensuring the sustainability of the pension system in the future?
— The Social Fund will begin the second phase of reforming the pension system, which will focus on further strengthening financial stability and enhancing social justice.
The first phase, which took place from 2021 to 2025, created a reliable foundation for the functioning of the pension system, ensuring timely payments and improving the level of pensions.
The second phase, projected until 2045, includes measures to improve insurance principles, expand coverage of social insurance, and stimulate the official employment of citizens.
The main goal is to create a reliable and predictable system capable of functioning in the long term without risks and shocks for current and future pensioners. According to data from the National Statistical Committee, there is an aging population, which may have a serious impact on the pension system.
The increase in the number of pensioners and the rise in life expectancy will lead to the need to pay higher pensions over a longer period.
With the increase of elderly people without insurance experience, social tension and deterioration of social indicators may arise, which, in turn, will lead to an increase in government budget expenditures on social benefits and support programs.
The reform aims to create an effective pension system capable of ensuring a decent standard of living for elderly citizens. To enhance financial sustainability and strengthen insurance principles, a new law was adopted in May 2024.
Key changes in the new law include:
- the appointment of the basic part of the pension in full;
- the increase of the total period of child care that counts towards insurance experience from six to nine years;
- the extension of the period for receiving unclaimed pensions from three to five years;
- the preservation of established supplements considering the regional coefficient.
The procedure for assigning old-age pensions has also been simplified, and now a salary certificate prior to 1996 is not required.
Overall, the measures taken are aimed at strengthening insurance principles and should contribute to increasing the level of pensions and fairness of payments based on experience and contributions.
The existing pension system will remain, but further improvements aimed at sustainability are expected. Timely and adequate indexing of pensions considering the growth of average wages and inflation remains a top priority.
— Many Kyrgyz citizens work abroad. How are their pension rights being addressed?
— We are actively engaged in protecting the pension rights of citizens working abroad.
The main areas of international cooperation include:
- an agreement within the EAEU (since January 1, 2021) — mutual recognition of work experience and pension rights of citizens of the member states;
- a treaty with Turkey (since November 1, 2020) — equal rights for citizens of both countries in the field of social and pension provision;
- a memorandum with South Korea — one-time payments of pension savings for citizens of Kyrgyzstan or their heirs;
- an agreement with China (effective October 14, 2025) — equal rights for insurance in terms of age, disability, and loss of breadwinner in Kyrgyzstan and China;
- a draft agreement with Uzbekistan — equal rights for insurance pensions and payments of accumulated funds.
The Social Fund is actively negotiating with Austria, Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Germany, and Slovakia to sign agreements on mutual recognition of pension rights.
[b]— Many people are moving abroad for permanent residence. Is there a plan to simplify the process of receiving pension payments for them, for example, through consulates or online?[/b>
— Citizens moving abroad for permanent residence in countries without social insurance agreements will receive pensions paid three months in advance. To do this, it is necessary to submit an application to the Social Fund for removal from the registration account.
Upon the application of a citizen moving abroad for permanent residence, a one-time payment of pension savings will be made, taking into account the investment income reflected in the accumulative part of the personal insurance account.
To receive pension savings, one should apply to the regional office of the Social Fund, attaching original or certified copies of the necessary documents.
If the insured person is outside Kyrgyzstan, the application is sent to the regional office of the Social Fund by mail, through the "Personal Account of the Insured Person" on the fund's electronic portal, or via the state electronic services portal.
When sending the application by mail, original documents are not used. The identity of the applicant and the authenticity of the signature are confirmed by employees of Kyrgyz diplomatic missions abroad.
