When it comes to social security certificates (A1 or Certificate of Coverage – CoC), not all countries follow the same rules. To make things clearer, they can be grouped into three main categories:
🗺️ 1. No treaty in place
In these countries, no bilateral or multilateral social security agreement exists.
➡️ This means an A1 or CoC cannot be issued, as there is no legal framework that allows for it.
🌍 2. Treaty in place – WorkFlex can issue the certificate
These are countries where WorkFlex is already fully live (currently 26).
➡️ In these cases, WorkFlex can officially request and obtain A1/CoC certificates directly from the competent authorities on behalf of employers.
🧭 3. Treaty in place – A1/CoC not yet handled by WorkFlex
A treaty exists, but WorkFlex cannot yet submit formal A1/CoC requests. Common reasons include:
Local authorities do not yet support digital or third-party submissions.
Applications must still be submitted manually by the employer or employee.
Local systems are being updated, and WorkFlex is in the process of obtaining authorization to act on behalf of clients.
🧾 Provisional A1/CoC
For the third category, WorkFlex issues a Provisional A1/CoC.
This document is not an official certificate from an authority, but it confirms that the employee remains socially insured and continues paying contributions in the home country.
✅ It serves as credible documentation in case authorities request proof of social security coverage during travel, helping mitigate social security risks.
⚠️ Important: Employees should not show this document proactively — only when explicitly requested by an authority.
🛡️ The WorkFlex “No-Risk” concept
Even in countries where an A1/CoC cannot be officially issued, WorkFlex ensures full compliance protection.
Under our No-Risk Concept, WorkFlex assumes liability for any social security-related compliance incident, up to €250,000.
This means our clients and their employees can travel and work abroad with confidence — even where digital or third-party processes are not yet available.
🚨 If an authority requests an A1/CoC (“Ambush” situation)
If an authority unexpectedly asks an employee to present an A1/CoC during a trip:
The employee should open their WorkFlex profile and show the document stored there (official or provisional A1/CoC).
They should contact WorkFlex immediately.
Our team will handle the communication with the authorities and ensure the issue is resolved quickly.