# Installation allowance

- Link: https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-installation-allowance/
- Published: 2025-12-29T20:30:42+01:00
- Author: Ben

**Updated with 2025-2026 figures.**

The [Installation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/installation-allowance/)
is paid to [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
and other EU institutions staff that have to set up their life in a different country.
This article provides information about the amount of the [installation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/installation-allowance/)
and under what conditions it is paid out.

The [Installation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/installation-allowance/)
is a one-time payment to all expat staff of EU institutions. There are other one-
time and regular [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/) that
make settling in a new city easier such as [Daily Subsistence Allowance](https://euemployment.eu/daily-subsistence-allowance-for-new-eu-employees/),
[Expatriation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/expatriation-allowance/), Removal
expense coverage, and [Household allowance](https://euemployment.eu/european-commission-household-allowance/).

### Amount

As for some other [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
[allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/), for the [Installation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/installation-allowance/)
it matters whether you are single or have a spouse or/and children.

 * **One month’s [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) **
   is paid to staff members who are moving alone. The minimum amount is EUR 682,87.
 * **Two months’ [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) **
   is paid to staff who move with their spouse or/and dependent children. The minimum
   amount is EUR 1151,76. You get this higher allowance amount only if your family
   settles in the same country within one year of the end of your probationary period.

The amount of the [Installation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/installation-allowance/)
further depends on the length of your initial contract. This mostly applies to contract
agents, whose initial contract usually is 3 years, but might be shorter due to, 
for example, temporary nature of the post, link to a project cycle, etc. You will
get:

 * **One third **of the above amount if the foreseeable period of service (initial
   contract duration) is not less than one year but less than two years.
 * **Two thirds **of the above amount if the foreseeable period of service is not
   less than two years but less than three years.
 * **Three thirds** if the foreseeable period of service is three or more years.

Furthermore, the [Correction coefficient](https://euemployment.eu/correction-coefficient/)
is applied to the final amount you will receive.

Complicated? I’ll try to do my best to prepare a visual so that you can arrive at
a precise calculation. In the meantime, if something is not clear, write a comment
below.

### Conditions

You become entitled to the [Installation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/installation-allowance/)
once you pass your [probation period](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission-probation-period/)
and stop receiving the [Daily Subsistence Allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/daily-subsistence-allowance/).

The [Installation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/installation-allowance/)
is not legally linked to you having physically moved your belongings to the country
of employment. You just have to prove that you have taken up residence in the particular
country by, for example, providing your institution’s HR department with a rental
agreement or a deed of property purchase. The HR department might require that you
provide additional proof that you have “established residence” in the particular
country.

If you had a 3+ year contract, but left your institution before the end of the contract,
you will be obliged to repay part of the [Installation allowance](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/installation-allowance/).
Usually this is simply deducted from the final salary or the [Unemployment allowance](https://euemployment.eu/unemployment-allowance-european-commission/)
if you are entitled to it.

    ```has-small-font-size
    This article is based on the European Commission Staff Regulations and other publicly available information such as EU institutions’ vacancy announcements.
    ```

> I wrote this article to make it easier to understand the sometimes complex EU 
> HR and administrative rules. However, your individual case might have unique angles
> due to prior work experience, family situation, or other factors.
> **Where to ask
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> We have nearly 10,000 members there, including EU ‘insiders’, so you will receive
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