Laid off in Germany: what happens to my pension contributions?

Nothing is lost. Every month you worked, 9.3% of your gross salary went into your German pension account, and a layoff does not touch that balance. If you find a new job in Germany, contributions simply continue. If you leave, the employee share becomes claimable as a refund once you live outside the EU and 24 months have passed since your last mandatory contribution. One detail matters while you decide: months on unemployment benefit (ALG I) count as mandatory contribution months, which affects both the 24-month clock and the 60-month threshold for treaty-country citizens. The free Pension Check tells you where you stand.