Unemployment benefit calculator

How is unemployment benefit calculated?

VSAA calculates the average insurance contribution salary per calendar day for a 12-month period ending two full months before the month unemployment status is obtained. One lowest and one highest contribution-salary month are excluded.

Benefit rate by insurance record

1–9 years — 50%; 10–19 years — 55%; 20–29 years — 60%; 30 years or more — 65% of the average contribution salary.

How long is the benefit paid?

Up to 8 months: months 1–2 at 100%, months 3–4 at 75%, months 5–6 at 50%, months 7–8 at 45% of the awarded daily rate.

Who is normally entitled?

Normally you need at least 1 year of total insurance record and unemployment-insurance contributions for at least 12 months during the last 16 months before obtaining unemployment status.

When does the money reach your account?

VSAA pays unemployment benefit for the unemployment period of the previous calendar month. If benefit starts mid-month, actual bank payments may be split differently from the 8 benefit periods shown by the calculator.

Important from 1 April 2026

Unemployment status and benefit can only be received while you have no income subject to mandatory state social insurance contributions.

The result is informational. VSAA may use special rules for childcare, maternity, sickness, state-paid contributions and other non-standard periods.