Pension benefits impacted by wage levels in Poland and Germany

Discussions regarding retirement security highlight the impact of wage levels and contribution history on pension outcomes in both Poland and Germany.

A Polish woman who worked in Germany for 20 years expressed disappointment after receiving her pension calculation from Deutsche Rentenversicherung. Despite two decades of employment abroad, the projected amount was significantly lower than anticipated, raising questions about the purchasing power and adequacy of such benefits for long-term migrant workers.

In Poland, the relationship between minimum wage and retirement benefits is also a critical factor. Calculations show that a woman who worked for 40 years at the national minimum wage would likely receive a monthly gross pension of approximately 2,000–2,100 PLN. This is only slightly higher than the current minimum pension of 1,978.49 PLN gross. In contrast, contributing based on the average salary could result in a benefit between 6,600 and 6,900 PLN gross, demonstrating that the duration of employment is secondary to the level of income and subsequent contributions.