Social Security
Pension Rights
Law provides for both full and early pension. For full pension, a worker must have attained 60 years of age (younger if prematurely aged and certified by medical doctor) with at least 180 months (15 years) of contributions. The minimum pensionable age is 60 years. In order to be eligible for pension, the worker must also have ceased all remunerated activity.
The pension is 30% of a worker’s average monthly earnings in the last 3 or 5 years (whichever is higher) plus 2% of average monthly earnings in each 12-month period of coverage exceeding 180 months. If the insured worker did not contribute for five years immediately preceding the date of pension entitlement, the average monthly earnings are based on the total number of months of contributions from the last five years of employment. The minimum monthly pension is 50% of the legal minimum wage.
Workers who reached the age of 60 years with less than 180 months of contribution are entitled to an old age allowance, paid as a lump sum of the insured’s average monthly earnings in the last three or five years (whichever is greater) multiplied by the number of years of contributions.
If the insured is entitled to two or more pensions (including work injury benefits), each benefit is paid fully.
Source: §18, 19, and 22 of the Law N° 05/2015 OF 30/03/2015 Governing the Organization of Pension Schemes; ISSA Country profile for Rwanda
Dependents' / Survivors' Benefit
The Pension Law provides for a survivor benefit for dependents including the widow, widowers, and children under 18 years of age (the age limit is 25 years in the case of a student, no age limit in the case of disabled), and parents (including adoptive parents if there is no surviving spouse or orphan). If a worker dies and he/she meets the requirements of entitlement to old age or invalidity pension or was already getting it, 50% of the deceased's pension is paid to a widow/widower as a survivor's benefit. 25% of the deceased worker's pension is paid to each orphan. If there are full orphans, 50% of the pension is paid to each full orphan. Dependent parents get 25% of the pension if there are no other eligible survivors. Total survivors' benefits cannot exceed 100% of a deceased worker's pension.
If an insured worker dies but he/she is not entitled to an invalidity pension (15 years/180 months of contributions) and does not fulfill other requirements, the survivors are entitled to the survivor's allowance, provided as a lump sum of one month of pension for each six-month period of coverage is paid to the widow(er) and a lump sum of 50% of the benefit paid to the surviving spouse is paid to each eligible orphan. The total settlement paid to orphans must not exceed twice the amount paid to the surviving spouse. In case where deceased worker leaves no spouse or child behind, each parent of the deceased worker shall be paid 50% of the benefit that would have been paid to the surviving spouse.
Source: §28-30 of the Law N° 05/2015 OF 30/03/2015 Governing the Organization of Pension Schemes; ISSA Country profile for Rwanda
Invalidity Benefit
The social security law provides for invalidity benefit in the case of non-occupational accident/injury/disease resulting in permanent invalidity. A worker is entitled to invalidity benefit if he/she is assessed with at least 50% of loss in earning capacity and has at least three years of contributions, including six months of contributions in the 12 months before the disability began. The worker must have ceased to perform any remuneration activity. The disability must be certified by a recognized medical doctor and confirmed by a medical officer for the public entity in charge of the pension scheme (Rwanda Social Security Board). The invalidity benefit is calculated similarly as old age pension. The invalidity pension is 30% of a worker's average monthly earnings in the last 5 years plus 2% of average monthly earnings in each 12-month period of coverage exceeding 180 months. The minimum monthly pension is 50% of legal minimum wage. Disability pension ceases at age 60 with the start of old-age pension.
The payment of disability benefits starts from the date of healing or stabilization of disability or from the expiration of a period of six (6) months from the occurrence of disability and when it appears that this disability will last for at least six (6) months as certified by a recognized medical doctor or from the date on which the insured ceases to work if the date of healing or stabilization is unknown.
Source: §24-27 of the Law N° 05/2015 of 30/03/2015 on Governing the Organization of Pension Scheme
Regulations on Social Security
- Law regulating Labour in Rwanda, 2018 (No. 66/2018)
- Law N° 05/2015 OF 30/03/2015 Governing the Organization of Pension Schemes
- Ministerial Order N° 009/19.20 of 17/03/2020 determining Funeral Expenses and Death allowances for an Employee
- ISSA Country Profile for Rwanda
Pension Rights
Law provides for both full and early pension. For full pension, a worker must have attained 60 years of age (younger if prematurely aged and certified by medical doctor) with at least 180 months (15 years) of contributions. The minimum pensionable age is 60 years. In order to be eligible for pension, the worker must also have ceased all remunerated activity.
The pension is 30% of a worker’s average monthly earnings in the last 3 or 5 years (whichever is higher) plus 2% of average monthly earnings in each 12-month period of coverage exceeding 180 months. If the insured worker did not contribute for five years immediately preceding the date of pension entitlement, the average monthly earnings are based on the total number of months of contributions from the last five years of employment. The minimum monthly pension is 50% of the legal minimum wage.
Workers who reached the age of 60 years with less than 180 months of contribution are entitled to an old age allowance, paid as a lump sum of the insured’s average monthly earnings in the last three or five years (whichever is greater) multiplied by the number of years of contributions.
If the insured is entitled to two or more pensions (including work injury benefits), each benefit is paid fully.
Source: §18, 19, and 22 of the Law N° 05/2015 OF 30/03/2015 Governing the Organization of Pension Schemes; ISSA Country profile for Rwanda
Dependents' / Survivors' Benefit
The Pension Law provides for a survivor benefit for dependents including the widow, widowers, and children under 18 years of age (the age limit is 25 years in the case of a student, no age limit in the case of disabled), and parents (including adoptive parents if there is no surviving spouse or orphan). If a worker dies and he/she meets the requirements of entitlement to old age or invalidity pension or was already getting it, 50% of the deceased's pension is paid to a widow/widower as a survivor's benefit. 25% of the deceased worker's pension is paid to each orphan. If there are full orphans, 50% of the pension is paid to each full orphan. Dependent parents get 25% of the pension if there are no other eligible survivors. Total survivors' benefits cannot exceed 100% of a deceased worker's pension.
If an insured worker dies but he/she is not entitled to an invalidity pension (15 years/180 months of contributions) and does not fulfill other requirements, the survivors are entitled to the survivor's allowance, provided as a lump sum of one month of pension for each six-month period of coverage is paid to the widow(er) and a lump sum of 50% of the benefit paid to the surviving spouse is paid to each eligible orphan. The total settlement paid to orphans must not exceed twice the amount paid to the surviving spouse. In case where deceased worker leaves no spouse or child behind, each parent of the deceased worker shall be paid 50% of the benefit that would have been paid to the surviving spouse.
Source: §28-30 of the Law N° 05/2015 OF 30/03/2015 Governing the Organization of Pension Schemes; ISSA Country profile for Rwanda
Invalidity Benefit
The social security law provides for invalidity benefit in the case of non-occupational accident/injury/disease resulting in permanent invalidity. A worker is entitled to invalidity benefit if he/she is assessed with at least 50% of loss in earning capacity and has at least three years of contributions, including six months of contributions in the 12 months before the disability began. The worker must have ceased to perform any remuneration activity. The disability must be certified by a recognized medical doctor and confirmed by a medical officer for the public entity in charge of the pension scheme (Rwanda Social Security Board). The invalidity benefit is calculated similarly as old age pension. The invalidity pension is 30% of a worker's average monthly earnings in the last 5 years plus 2% of average monthly earnings in each 12-month period of coverage exceeding 180 months. The minimum monthly pension is 50% of legal minimum wage. Disability pension ceases at age 60 with the start of old-age pension.
The payment of disability benefits starts from the date of healing or stabilization of disability or from the expiration of a period of six (6) months from the occurrence of disability and when it appears that this disability will last for at least six (6) months as certified by a recognized medical doctor or from the date on which the insured ceases to work if the date of healing or stabilization is unknown.
Source: §24-27 of the Law N° 05/2015 of 30/03/2015 on Governing the Organization of Pension Scheme
Regulations on Social Security
- Law regulating Labour in Rwanda, 2018 (No. 66/2018)
- Law N° 05/2015 OF 30/03/2015 Governing the Organization of Pension Schemes
- Ministerial Order N° 009/19.20 of 17/03/2020 determining Funeral Expenses and Death allowances for an Employee
- ISSA Country Profile for Rwanda
