Am I eligible for unemployment benefit in Hungary?

Residency and unemployment

To determine if you will be eligible for unemployment once your current job is terminated, the first thing to check is whether you will be able to stay in Hungary. Most work-related residence permits are tied to the job and expect holders to leave Hungary once the employment relationship is terminated. As a result, you will be able to receive the benefit only if you are:

• an EU / EEA national, or
• a third country national with permanent residency (National Residence Card, EU Residence Card, Interim Residence Card), or
• a refugee or a beneficiary of subsidiary protection.

If you cannot stay in Hungary, you will not be able to receive the unemployment benefit.

The easiest way to determine if you are eligible is whether you have an address card, which is a simple indicator of your legal status in Hungary. If you do not have an address card, you will probably not be eligible for the unemployment benefit.

Jobseeker’s allowance

If you are allowed to stay, you can apply for the unemployment benefit that is officially called “jobseeker’s allowance” if you had an employment relationship for at least 360 days over the last 3 years. This includes both full-time or part-time jobs.

Please note: student work does not make you eligible for the jobseeker’s allowance. As a student, your main job is being a student, and you are not paying the contributions the unemployment benefit is based on.

For example: if you were studying at a Hungarian university for 3 years and you were doing student work throughout, and now you are in Hungary with a jobseeker permit, you are not eligible for the jobseeker’s allowance.

What to expect if you are eligible?

You will need to apply for the unemployment benefit at the local Labor Department (you can do it online too). You will need the exit documents you received from your employer.

You can receive the jobseeker’s allowance for at most 90 days. The exact length depends on how long you were employed over the last 3 years: for every 10 days spent in employment, you get 1 day on benefits.

The amount you receive depends on your previous income. Specifically, it is based on your average gross salary over the last 4 quarters. (Technically, the calculation is based on your “labor market contribution base”, which usually matches your gross salary.) You will receive at most 60% of that average, but there is a cap: the amount cannot exceed the minimum wage, which is HUF 290,800 per month in 2025.

The jobseeker’s allowance is calculated per day and paid like a regular salary, by the 10^th of the month following the month you’re receiving the benefit for.

Taxes and healthcare

The unemployment benefit is taxable income, so you will need to pay taxes on the amount calculated by the above method. The tax rate is normally 25%, made up of the 15% personal income tax and the 10% pension contribution. If you are eligible for tax benefits, make sure to indicate this when you apply.

While you are receiving the jobseeker’s allowance, you will still have access to public healthcare, just like when you were employed. If you don’t find a new job before your allowance ends, you can stay insured by paying the healthcare contribution yourself, which will cost HUF 390 per day, or HUF 11,800 per month.

Finding new employment

Once you have found your next job, you must inform the Labor Department of your starting date, supported by a copy of your new labor contract. They will then cancel your allowance.

About Helpers Hungary

Helpers provides administrative assistance to foreigners living, working, and doing business in Hungary. Our main focus is business setup and residency application, but we are also committed to providing practical information to expats living in Hungary that can make your life easier.

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