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EU unemployment rights
U2: Keep receiving benefits while job hunting abroad
A U2 form (or Portable Document U2) is an official EU/EEA document that allows you to continue receiving your home country’s unemployment benefits while you move to look for a job in EU or EEA country or Switzerland.
EU / EEA + Switzerland
Jobseekers
Unemployment benefits
3 to 6 months
Who can use the U2 form?
| Countries | EU and EEA countries, plus Switzerland |
|---|---|
| Benefit status | Unemployed people who are entitled to unemployment benefits from the responsible country |
| Before departure | Be registered as an unemployed jobseeker in the country where you lost you job for at least 4 weeks before leaving |
| Duration | 3 months as standard; extension up to 6 months may be authorised |
How it works
- Your unemployment benefit continues to be paid by the responsible country.
- You register with the employment service in your destination country.
- You follow the destination country’s job-search checks and reporting rules.
What you need to do
Before leaving
- Check that you qualify with the institution paying your benefit.
- Request the U2 form before departure.
- Confirm the authorised period and any extension process.
After arrival
- Register with the destination country’s employment service within 7 days of becoming unavailable to your previous employment service.
- Present your U2 form and follow local job-search controls and reporting requirements.
- Keep evidence of registration and job-search activity.
If you didn’t get a job after 3 months
- Apply for an extension: Request 3 more months from your paying country as soon as possible, though approval is not guaranteed.
- Return home on time: Go back before the 3 months end to keep receiving your remaining benefits normally.
- Stay abroad without pay: You can legally stay to search for work, but your home country will stop paying you.
Things to know
- Register on time. Late registration can mean losing benefits for the days of delay.
- Return before the U2 period ends. Unless an extension is authorised, returning late, even one day, may put your remaining entitlement at risk.