Retirement age

This article lists the statutory retirement age in different countries. In some contexts, the retirement age is the age at which a person is expected or required to cease work and is usually the age at which they may be entitled to receive superannuation or other government benefits, like a state pension. Policy makers usually consider the demography, fiscal cost of ageing, health, life expectancy, nature of profession, supply of labour force etc. while deciding the retirement age.[1] The increase in life expectancy is used in some jurisdictions as an argument to increase the age of retirement in the 21st century.[2][3]

Retirement age by country and region

External image
Life expectancy vs. Retirement age for men in European countries on a map

Many of the countries listed in the table below are in the process of reforming the ages (see the notes in the table for details). The ages in the table show when an individual retires if they retire/have retired in the year given in the table; the trend in some countries is that in the future the age will increase gradually (where available, explanations are given in the section on notes), therefore one's year of birth determines when one has the age of retirement (e.g. in Romania women born in January 1955 had the retirement age in January 2015 at age 60; those born in January 1958 had the retirement age in January 2019 at age 61; those born in January 1961 will retire in January 2023 at age 62; those born in January 1967 will retire in January 2030 at age 63).[4]

Retirement age
Country Men Women Year Notes Ref
Albania 65 61 2020 [5]
Argentina 65 60 [6]
Armenia 63 2011 [5]
Australia 66 2019 In Australia the retirement age is to be increased gradually to 67 years by July 2023. [7]
Austria 65 60 2015 In Austria the retirement age for women is to be equalized to the retirement age for men (65) by 2033.[8] [5][9]
Azerbaijan 62 60 2017 In Azerbaijan the retirement age is to be increased gradually to 65 years by 2021 (for men) and by 2027 (for women)[10] [10]
Belarus 62.5 57.5 2021 By 2022, the age will be 63 for men and 58 for women.[11] [12]
Bangladesh 59 2013
Belgium 65 2019 The legal retirement age (the age at which one can retire, regardless of career length) in Belgium is 65 in 2019. in 2025 it will be 66 and in 2030 it will be 67, both for women and men.

Early retirement is possible from 60 onwards with a career of at least 44 years, from 61 onwards with at least 43 years, or from 63 onwards with a career of at least 42 years. Some exceptions exist, mainly in the required number of years.

A career year is considered if it contains at least 104 days (in full time equivalent).

[13] [14]
Bosnia and Herzegovina 65 2011 [5]
Brazil 65 62 2019 Certain individuals, such as rural workers, teachers and police officers, have a lower minimum wage.

Brazil also requires workers to have contributed to social security for a minimum amount of time before they become eligible to claim benefits. To start receiving partial benefits, all private-sector workers are required have contributed for at least 20 years (for men) or 15 years (for women). Public-sector workers are required to have contributed for at least 25 years. To receive full benefits all workers must have contributed for at least 40 years (for men) or 35 years (for women).

[15]
British Virgin Islands 65 2017 [16]
Bulgaria 64.083 61.167 2018 In Bulgaria the retirement age is to be increased gradually and reach 65 years by 2029 for men and by 2037 for women. [17]
Cameroon 60 2019 The legal retirement age at which one (men or women) can retire is 60 with at least 20 years of coverage and at least 180 months of contributions, including 60 months in the last 10 years. Employment must cease.

Early retirement age is 50 with at least 20 years of coverage and at least 180 months of contributions, including 60 months in the last 10 years. The pension is payable abroad only under reciprocal agreement.

[18]
Canada 65 The standard age to begin receiving a CPP retirement pension is when one attains age 65 (the month following the 65th birthday). However, one may receive a reduced CPP retirement pension as early as the month following the 60th birthday. Alternatively, one may receive an increased pension after reaching age 65. Canada also has a pension supplement with different rules called Old Age Security (OAS). [19][20]
Chile 65 60 [21]
China 60 50–55 2011 The retirement age in China currently is 60 for men and 55 for female civil servants and 50 for female workers.[22] [23]
Colombia 62 57 2014 [24]
Croatia 65 61.25 2015 By 2038 there will be an equal age for women and men set at 67. (Women's age will reach 65 in 2030 and 67 in 2038).[8] [8]
Cuba 65 60 2015 The retirement age threshold was increased by 5 years in 2015 [25]
Cyprus 65 2011 [5][9]
Czech Republic 62.833 58-62 2015 In the Czech Republic, in the year 2015, men had the retirement age of 62years10months and women had it between 58 and 62, depending on number of children.[26][27] In Czech Republic, the retirement age is in the process of being increased, and therefore depends on year of birth (for individuals born after 1977 it may exceed even 67, e.g. a person born in year 1995 must be at least 70 years old.[28]) For women the retirement age depends on the number of raised children as well.[27] For people born in 1975, the retirement age will be the same (66y8m) regardless of sex and number of children raised; and this age will reach 67 for people born in 1977.[27]
Denmark 65 2015 In Denmark, the retirement age will be increased gradually to reach 67 years by 2022. From 2030 onwards, it will be increased a maximum of one year every five years depending on increases in average lifespan.[29][30] [9][12]
Egypt 60 2015
Estonia 63 2016 In Estonia the retirement age is to be increased gradually to 65 years by 2026.[31] After 2026, it will be linked to the average life expectancy [9][12]
Finland 63–68 2008 [9]
France 62-67 2018 The minimal retirement age has gradually increased from 60 to 62 years by 2018. The full retirement age is to be increased gradually from 65 to 67 years by 2023. [5][9]
Georgia 65 60 2011 [5]
Germany 65.583 2018 In Germany the retirement age is to be increased gradually and reach 67 years by 2029. For a long time the most common mandatory retirement age was 65, although in East Germany it was 60. [9][12]
Greece 67 2015 [8]
Hungary 63 2018 The age will be 65 by 2022.[8] Women with 40 years of insurance can retire at any age.[32] [8]
Iceland 67 2007 [12]
India 60-65 2014 For special cases of Health and education, the retirement age is increased to 65 years.[33]
Indonesia 58 2014 [34]
Iran 60 55 2018
Ireland 66 2015 In Ireland the retirement age is to be increased gradually and reach 68 years by 2028.[8] [5][9][12]
Israel 67 62 2011 [35]
Italy 67 2019 Must have paid contributions for at least 20 years.
Those who have paid contributions for at least 38 years can retire at 62.
Those who have paid contributions for at least 41 years and 10 months (women) or 42 years and 10 months (men) can retire regardless of age.
[36]
Japan 60 2019 While the government is at it with early retirement prevention, the age is expected to increase gradually to 65 years of age within 2025.[37]
Kazakhstan 63 58 2015 From 2017 the retirement age for women is to be increased gradually and reach 63 years in 2027[38]
South Korea 60 2016 Employers with more than 300 employees are required to extend the retiring age to 60. From 1 January 2017, it will be mandatory for all employers nationwide.[39]
Kyrgyzstan 63 58 2011 [5]
Latvia 63.25 2018 The age will be 65 by 2025.[8] [8]
Libya 70 2017 [40]
Liechtenstein 64 2007 [12]
Lithuania 63.167 61.333 2015 In Lithuania, the retirement age will be raised to 65 for both men and women by 2026.[8] [8][41]
Luxembourg 65 2011 [5]
Malaysia 60 2013 In Malaysia, The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) wants the government to consider extending the retirement age for civil servants from 60 to 62,[42] but the government has no immediate plan to extend it as the current retirement age is deemed as sufficient.[43] [44]
Malta 62 2015 In Malta the retirement age is to be increased gradually to 65 years by 2027.[8] [8]
Mexico 65 2015 Retirement age is expected to be increased in the coming years.
Moldova 63 59 2020 Retirement age for women is increasing every 6 months until it reaches 63 years in 2028 [45]
Montenegro 65 60 2013 [5]
Morocco 65 2014 Abdelilah Benkirane increased the retirement age to 65 since 2015. Expectations say that it will increase to 66 by 2017.
Namibia 60 2015 The early retirement age for public employees is 55 years, but will be reduced to 50 years (in 2016). [46][47]
Nepal 58 2007
Netherlands 68 2018 Although official retirement age is 68, AOW state pension will be received starting at the age of 66. AOW eligibility is tied to life expectancy and will gradually increase to 67 in 2021. [48][49]
New Zealand 65 2019 [50]
North Korea 60 55 1999 [51]
North Macedonia 64 62 2011 [5]
Norway 67 2018 The general retirement age is currently set to age 67, however, given sufficient pension contributions it is possible to retire as early as at age 62. The longer an individual postpones withdrawing a pension, the greater the government pension provision becomes. [52]
Oman 65 2013 The age is 60 if in hazardous or unhealthy occupations.
Pakistan 60 2012 [53]
Peru 60 2018
Philippines 60 1990 The retirement age for an employee depends on the employment contract. Upon retirement, the retired employee should be given his/her benefits according to the agreement or contract between the employer and the employee. However, if there is no existing retirement plan or agreement for the employee, he/she may retire at the age of 60, given that he/she has served the employer for 5 years, and shall be given a retirement pay of at least half a month’s salary for every year of service (6 months of work given is considered as 1 whole year for the retirement pay). [54][55]
Poland 65 60 2016
Portugal 66.333 2018 [56]
Romania 65 61 2019 The age for women is being increased gradually. It will reach 63 by 2030.[57] [4]
Russia 60.5 55.5 2019 From 2019 the retirement age for men (women) would gradually increase from 60 (55) to 65 (60) years by 2028; first it was intended to hike the age for women to 63 but later the plan was softened. [58][59]
Saudi Arabia 60 2014 In Saudi Arabia, the retirement age is based on the Hijiri (lunar) calendar. [60]
Serbia 65 60 2011 [5]
Singapore 62–65 2012 In Singapore, the Retirement Age Act (RAA) has been replaced by the Retirement and Re-employment Act (RRA) in 2012. Under the RRA, the statutory minimum retirement age is still 62, but employers are now required to offer re-employment to eligible employees who turn 62, up to the age of 65. [61]
Slovakia 62 2017 In Slovakia the retirement age for women depends on the number of children. The retirement age will be equalized for men and women at 62 in 2017.[8] [9]
Slovenia 64.333 2015 [8]
Spain 65.25 2015 The age will be 67 by 2027.[8] [5][9]
Sri Lanka 55 2014 [62]
Sweden 65 [63]
Switzerland 65 64 2018
Taiwan 66 2015 In Taiwan the retirement age is to be increased gradually and reach 68 years by 2028.[8] [5][9][12]
Tajikistan 63 58 2011 [5]
Thailand 60 (except a president of a university can work beyond 60 years) 2015
Trinidad and Tobago 60–65 2015 [64]
Tunisia 62-65 2019
Turkmenistan 62 57 2011 [5]
Turkey 60 58 2014 Retirement age was gradually increased since 1980s, from 44 for men and 38 for women. Current ages will increase to 65 for both genders by 2048. Additionally, various minimum days of service is required, which is currently 7000 days. It will become 7200 days (20 years) by 2048. One is subject to the laws on the day he/she started working. [65]
Ukraine 60 57 2015 In Ukraine the retirement age is to be increased gradually to 60 years for women and 62 years for male civil servants by 2021.[66] [5][67]
United Arab Emirates 65 2010 In the United Arab Emirates the mandatory retirement age was raised from 60 to 65 in 2010, enabling the UAE to retain its needed expat skilled work force longer for key construction projects.[68]
United Kingdom 66 2019 State pension age equalized at 65 in 2018. It increased to 66 on 6 October 2020, and will go up to 67 by 2028[69] and 68 by 2037.[70]
United States 62-67 2018 Retirees are eligible to receive reduced Social Security payments at the age of 62. People 65 and over are eligible to receive some free Medicare benefits if they paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. The full retirement age is to be increased gradually by 2023 and will be 67 for everyone born in 1960 or later.[71] Retirement Age in the US [8] [8]
Uruguay 60 60 2009 60 years and 30 working years minimum (1995), or 65 years and 25 working years and progressive to 70 in age and 15 working years (2009).
Uzbekistan 60 55 2011 [5]
Venezuela 60 55 2015 [72]
Vietnam 60 55 2011

The average of statutory retirement age in the 34 countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2014 was males 65 years and females 63.5 years, but the tendency all over the world is to increase the retirement age.[73] This is also reflected by the findings that just over half the Asian investors surveyed region-wide said they agreed with raising the retirement age, with a quarter disagreeing and the remainder undecided.[74]

Reform

Reforms tend to be phased-in slowly when the retirement age (or pension age) is increased, with grandfathering ensuring a gradual change. In contrast, when the age of retirement is decreased, changes are often brought about rapidly.[75]

One such example of grandfathering are the transitional pension rules which were applied for staff aged 54 years or older, and to some extent for all staff in place, when in 2014 the retirement age of European civil servants was increased to 66 years of age.[76]

Men either retire later than women or at the same time. This is being addressed in some countries where the retirement ages are being equalised.

See also

References

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