Explainer | China has raised its retirement age. How does this compare to other countries?

Recently announced increases to China’s retirement age have received global attention – but what have other countries done?

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China has raised its retirement age for the first time in over 50 years. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:00pm, 18 Sep 2024

In a long-awaited move, China’s top legislative body announced on Friday the country would raise its retirement age by up to five years. The retirement age for all men will go from 60 to 63, and for female office workers from 55 to 58. Female blue-collar workers, who previously retired at 50, will now have to wait until they are 55.

These changes will take place gradually over the next 15 years, starting January 1, 2025. On the same date in 2030, the country’s minimum period for pension contributions will also steadily lengthen, from 15 to 20 years.

China’s previous retirement ages were significantly lower than those in most developed economies, with the average retirement age in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries recorded at 63.6 years for women and 64.4 years for men in 2022.

Below are the retirement ages of a selection of countries from that bracket, as well as recent changes they have made – all, notably, in the upwards direction.

France

Starting in 2010, France gradually raised its mandatory retirement age from 60 to 62 for both men and women, with an increase of three months per year until the new retirement age was fully implemented in 2018.