Similar in the UK: employers can offer a defined benefit pension plan (usually based on something like 1/60 of final salary time number of years worked) or more commonly now a defined contribution scheme (invest in to a market-based pension fund, where the employer selects the fund manager). Both of these are taken from pre-tax income, though at higher rates of income tax the employee will have to claim some tax back at the end of the tax year. These contrast with the SIPP, which is private to the individual and does not involve the employer, but has similar tax advantages to the DC employer scheme.

You can do this with your own salary through a 401k in the US or an RRSP in Canada.

You can’t come anywhere near maxing tax-exempt contributions to a 401k without substantial employer contributions, though, because of how they’re structured. The employer’s separate cap is higher than the employees. No matter how dedicated to saving a person is, they can’t even hit 50% of the max without the employer separately contributing.

Most pensions involve a substantial employer contribution too.

I'm just saying, if they're contributing, great, I'd rather it go into a 401k where it's in a specific account for me and I can easily track it and complain timely if it's missing and I can fully separate from the employer when I leave versus going into a pension trust which I have much less visibility and a much longer connection with the company.

Of the four companies I've had 401ks with, one is totally dead, I think. Another is merged into Verizon and may as well be dead. The fourth bought the third and might last until I'd get a pension.

I'm quite happy I have no further financial connection to these companies, and don't have to pay attention to their solvency anymore.