This is how you can recover your IMSS contribution weeks and protect your pension.

Losing weeks of contributions to the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) can become a problem when applying for a pension. This occurs primarily when workers make a partial withdrawal from their Afore due to unemployment. Although it represents short-term financial relief, it has an impact on the number of weeks.

The good news is that there is a way to recover them, and the process is simpler than it seems.

According to the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) and the National Commission for the Retirement Savings System (Consar), workers who have withdrawn funds from their Afore can repay them to receive their IMSS contribution weeks.

The procedure is as follows:

• Request a refund from your Retirement Fund Administrator (Afore).
• The Afore will notify you of the exact amount you must repay.
• Decide whether you want to pay in a single payment or in installments .
• Make your deposit within five business days of notification.
• Once completed, you will receive an acknowledgment of receipt and the IMSS will be notified so that your contribution weeks will be returned in proportion to the amount reimbursed.

Every week counts for your future pension. If you withdrew money from your Afore (Association of Pensioners), recovering those weeks can make the difference when you meet the requirements for an IMSS pension.

Therefore, returning the money you withdrew not only allows you to regularize your credit history, but also ensures that your retirement savings remain intact for when you need them.