Social Security Retirement for Immigrants: 40 Credits

How do Social Security credits work?

Each year you work and pay Social Security taxes, you can earn up to 4 credits, based on a minimum income per credit that changes annually. To qualify for retirement benefits you need 40 credits total — roughly 10 years of reported work, not necessarily consecutive. Per ssa.gov, these credits never expire no matter how much time passes.

What about your work years in Egypt, Jordan, or another Arab country?

This is where most people get tripped up. Some countries have a "totalization agreement" with the US that lets you combine work years in both countries to reach the required credit count. But as of September 2026, no Arab country is on the official list of these agreements at ssa.gov, which covers about 30 countries, mostly in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. This means all 40 of your credits must come from work reported inside the US.

Worked example: an Egyptian engineer who immigrated at 35

Picture an Egyptian engineer who got a green card at 35 and started reported work right away. If he keeps working with reported earnings continuously until age 45, he'll have accumulated the required 40 credits (10 years x up to 4 credits a year) and becomes eligible for retirement benefits once he reaches the right retirement age — even if he never works another day after 45. But his actual benefit amount is calculated from his highest 35 years of earnings, so if he only worked 10 years, the empty years count as zero in that average, noticeably lowering his monthly benefit compared to someone who worked a full 35 years at similar pay — which is why continuing to work past the 40-credit mark still pays off financially for many people.

What if part of your work history was undocumented?

Only income officially reported to the IRS under your real Social Security number counts toward your credits. Unreported work doesn't build credits, even if you paid income tax some other way (like using an ITIN).

Does taxation on the benefit differ if you live abroad?

Yes, this is something many people overlook before deciding to return home after retirement. Social Security benefits can be subject to a federal withholding tax at a set rate if you're a tax resident outside the US, unless a bilateral tax treaty between the US and your new country of residence reduces or eliminates it. Check the IRS page on international payments and confirm whether a tax treaty exists with your specific country — this is entirely separate from the totalization agreement discussed above.

Do you need to notify Social Security if you move abroad?

Yes. Once you permanently relocate outside the US (even after benefits have started), you need to notify SSA of your new foreign address, since payment method and eligibility-verification frequency can differ for people living abroad. Ignoring this can temporarily suspend payments pending verification, so don't wait until you notice a missed deposit to reach out.

Can you claim credit for your work years in Egypt or Jordan for any other purpose?

This is a common question: while your home-country work years don't count toward your US credits, you may be eligible for a completely separate pension from your home country's own social insurance system (like Egypt's National Organization for Social Insurance or Jordan's Social Security Corporation). These are two entirely separate systems that don't communicate without a totalization agreement, and you may qualify for two separate pensions if you meet each system's requirements independently — check with your home country's agency for details.

Can I still get my benefit if I move back home?

Usually yes if you meet the 40-credit requirement, but the rules for paying benefits to people living outside the US vary by country of residence, and payments are restricted in some countries. Check SSA's page on payments outside the US for your specific situation before planning around it.

When can you start receiving benefits?

Full retirement age varies by birth year — check the exact number for your situation on ssa.gov. You can start receiving benefits as early as 62, but at a permanently reduced monthly amount. Delaying past full retirement age (up to a maximum at age 70) gradually increases the monthly amount. The choice between starting early or delaying depends on your health and finances, not your immigration status — the same rule applies to anyone who meets the 40-credit requirement.

Does a foreign pension affect your US benefit?

Yes, and this is an important point many people miss. If you also receive a government pension from a country where you didn't pay US Social Security taxes (a government pension from Egypt or Jordan, for example), you may be subject to a rule called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which reduces your US benefit amount. This rule is complex and depends on precise details of your case; use the official WEP calculator on ssa.gov or consult an SSA office directly before planning your retirement around a rough estimate.

Do your spouse or children benefit from your record?

Yes, Social Security includes additional benefits for a spouse and dependent children in certain cases (spousal benefits, survivor benefits). These have separate eligibility rules from your own 40 credits, and can sometimes extend to a spouse or child living outside the US depending on their country of residence. Don't assume your own retirement benefit is the only thing available to your family — check SSA's "family benefits" page for the full picture.

How do you check your earnings record for accuracy?

Create a "my Social Security" account on ssa.gov and review your annual Earnings Record regularly — at least once every year or two. Errors in recorded income, especially for anyone who changed employers often or held multiple jobs, can quietly reduce your credits or your eventual benefit amount. Correcting an error in an old record is far easier while you're still working than trying to fix it years into retirement.

What about green card holders who haven't naturalized yet?

Eligibility for Social Security retirement doesn't require US citizenship at all — only a valid work-authorized Social Security number and meeting the 40-credit requirement. A green card holder is just as eligible as a citizen. The only difference that can show up later is in payment rules for people living outside the US after retirement, where certain immigration statuses are required to keep receiving payments during a long-term stay abroad — check your specific status before making a permanent move.

When should you actually start planning for this?

Don't wait until retirement age is close. The earlier you start tracking your earnings record and confirming every work year was reported correctly, the easier and cheaper any correction is. If you're planning to eventually return to your home country, it's also worth learning the payment rules for your future country of residence early rather than discovering them after the move — since some decisions, like when to start collecting, are hard to reverse once made.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a totalization agreement exists with your home country without checking — none currently exists for any Arab country.
• Thinking the number of credits determines your benefit amount — it only determines eligibility.
• Not reviewing your earnings record on ssa.gov to confirm every work year was reported correctly.
• Assuming unreported work counts because you paid taxes some other way.

What's next?

If you don't yet have a Social Security number, see the SSN guide. If you're working without eligibility for one, see the ITIN guide. To understand unemployment benefit eligibility, see the unemployment benefits guide.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources we reviewed

• SSA — How You Earn Credits (2026) ↗
• SSA — Benefits Planner: Credits ↗
• SSA — International Agreements Overview ↗