Egypt (EG)
Egypt is one of the world's oldest civilisations — the land of the Pharaohs, the Great Pyramids of Giza, and the mighty Nile River.
Social Security in Egypt
Benefits, contributions, and how the system works for expats.
Egypt's social security system is administered by the National Organisation for Social Insurance (NOSI / الهيئة القومية للتأمين الاجتماعي). All employees in formal employment — including foreign nationals working with valid work permits — are required to contribute to NOSI unless a bilateral social security agreement with their home country provides an exemption. NOSI provides coverage for old-age pension, disability, death benefits, and work injury. There is no unemployment insurance scheme in Egypt as of 2026. Unlike Germany or France, the Egyptian social safety net is thinner; the public healthcare component is separate (Ministry of Health and UHI scheme). Expats who contribute but leave before the minimum pension threshold may partially recover contributions.
Social Insurance Number (NOSI)
رقم التأمين الاجتماعي
Your employer registers you with NOSI upon commencing employment in Egypt. The employer submits a Form 1 (نموذج رقم 1) to the local NOSI office along with a copy of your employment contract, passport, and Iqama. NOSI assigns an insurance number which appears on your payslip as the social insurance reference. Foreign nationals who are seconded to Egypt by a multinational may have their employer seek an exemption certificate if a bilateral agreement covers them — confirm with your employer's HR team. Self-employed and company owners can register independently at the local NOSI office.
- Payslip deduction records (11% employee contribution)
- Future pension eligibility (minimum 15 years of contributions)
- Disability benefit eligibility
- Death benefit for dependents of deceased insured employees
- Work injury compensation
- NOSI pension application upon retirement (age 60 for men, 55 for women)
- Partial contribution refund upon departure if below pension threshold
Benefits & Support Payments
Old-Age Pension
معاش الشيخوخة
Monthly pension paid from NOSI upon reaching retirement age (60 for men, 55 for women) to insured persons who have accumulated at least 15 years of contributions. Pension amount: 1/45 of the average insurable salary for each year of service, up to a maximum of 80% of the average insurable salary.
Minimum 15 years of NOSI contributions. Retirement age: 60 (men), 55 (women) — reform under discussion to align ages. All insured employees including foreign nationals who have contributed for the minimum period.
Apply at the local NOSI office 6 months before planned retirement. Required: NOSI card (or insurance number), Iqama/passport, bank account details for pension payment transfer. For foreigners resident abroad at pension age: pension can be transferred internationally via SWIFT from NOSI's banking partners.
Disability Pension
معاش العجز
Monthly pension for insured employees who become permanently or partially disabled due to illness or injury (non-work-related) and can no longer work. Total disability: pension equivalent to full notional pension at 60. Partial disability: proportional to degree of disability.
Must have been insured (contributing) for a minimum period before the disabling event. Total disability: any contribution period. Permanent partial disability: minimum 3 months of contributions.
Apply at local NOSI office with medical report from an approved doctor confirming disability. NOSI Medical Committee assesses the disability degree. Employer notification required if the disability results in inability to continue working.
Death Benefit and Survivors Pension
منحة الوفاة ومعاش الورثة
Lump-sum death grant (منحة الوفاة) paid to the family on the death of an insured person. In addition, survivors (spouse, children, parents in some cases) are entitled to a monthly survivors pension calculated from the deceased's pension entitlement.
Insured employees who die during employment or after qualifying for pension rights. Survivors: spouse (including divorced spouse in some cases under Egyptian family law), children under 21 (or indefinitely if disabled), and in some cases elderly parents.
Family applies at local NOSI office with death certificate, marriage certificate (legalised if issued abroad), children's birth certificates, and the deceased's NOSI records.
Work Injury Compensation
تعويض إصابة العمل
Compensation and pension for employees injured at work or developing occupational disease. Funded entirely by employer contributions (0.5–2% depending on industry risk). Benefits: full salary during treatment period (up to 6 months at employer expense, then NOSI takes over), permanent disability pension, or death benefit for fatal work injuries.
All insured employees — no minimum contribution period required for work injury benefits. Injury must occur during work hours or in connection with work duties.
Report immediately to employer who notifies NOSI and prepares an official work injury report (نموذج إبلاغ بإصابة العمل). Employee seeks treatment at a NOSI-designated hospital or employer-arranged facility. Keep all medical records. File any disability or compensation claim through NOSI office.
Contribution Refund on Departure
استرداد اشتراكات التأمين الاجتماعي
Foreign nationals who leave Egypt permanently before reaching pension age and before completing the minimum contribution years (15 years) may apply for a partial refund of their employee contributions (but NOT employer contributions).
Foreign nationals permanently leaving Egypt with less than 15 years of NOSI contributions AND whose home country does not have a bilateral totalization agreement with Egypt that continues their vesting rights.
Apply at the local NOSI office before departure (or within a reasonable period). Required: Iqama, passport, employment records, and NOSI contribution history. Processing: 3–8 weeks. Refund paid to your bank account.
Contribution Overview
Total NOSI contribution as of 2026: Employee pays 11% of gross salary; Employer pays 18.75% of gross salary. Total combined contribution: 29.75% of gross salary. There is a maximum insurable salary cap (adjusted by ministerial decree — maximum EGP 16,700/month; minimum EGP 2,700/month as of January 2026, source: taxsummaries.pwc.com/egypt) — contributions are calculated on salary up to this cap. Salaries above the cap: contributions are still calculated on the cap amount, not the actual salary. All contributions are deducted by the employer and paid directly to NOSI — the employee never handles the contribution payment personally.
International Social Security Agreements
Egypt has bilateral social security totalization agreements with a limited number of countries. Confirmed agreements include: some Arab League countries (Jordan, Syria, Libya — though practical application varies by country circumstances), and a small number of others. Egypt does NOT have comprehensive agreements with USA, UK, EU member states, or Canada as of 2026. This means most Western expats working in Egypt will contribute to NOSI without being able to credit these years toward their home country pension or avoid dual contribution. Confirm your country's agreement status with the NOSI international agreements department before starting employment.
Foreign nationals working in Egypt legally under a work permit are enrolled in NOSI by law — there is no opt-out unless a bilateral agreement provides exemption. Contributions appear on payslips as a deduction. The practical value of NOSI for Western expats is limited due to: modest benefit levels, lack of unemployment insurance, and the complexity of claiming benefits from abroad. Most expats treat NOSI contributions as a tax-like cost and rely on private insurance, international pension plans, and home country pension arrangements for their actual retirement planning. Employer contributions (18.75%) are an additional labour cost that raises your total cost of employment in Egypt by approximately 19% above gross salary.
Social Security
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