Duration of working life by country
Countries reporting
46
Highest
46.5
Iceland
Lowest
30.3
Montenegro
Median
37.8
Years covered
26
2000–2025
Data points
1,156
What the numbers show
Duration of working life is currently reported for 46 countries. The highest value is 46.5 in Iceland; the lowest is 30.3 in Montenegro.
The median across all reporting countries is 37.8, and the mean is 37.8.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 2.
Over the past decade 45 countries rose and 1 fell. The largest increase was in Malta (up 16.0%), and the largest decrease in Romania (down 0.3%).
Duration of working life: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iceland | 46.5 | 2024 | up 0.6% | flat |
| 2 | Netherlands | 44 | 2025 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 2 | Netherlands | 44 | 2025 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 4 | Sweden | 43.4 | 2025 | up 5.3% | rising |
| 5 | Switzerland | 42.8 | 2025 | up 1.9% | rising |
| 6 | Denmark | 42.6 | 2025 | up 10.1% | rising |
| 7 | Estonia | 41.5 | 2025 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 7 | Estonia | 41.5 | 2025 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 9 | Norway | 41.4 | 2025 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 10 | Ireland | 40.7 | 2025 | up 13.1% | rising |
| 11 | Germany | 40.2 | 2025 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 12 | Finland | 40.1 | 2025 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 13 | Portugal | 39.7 | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 14 | Cyprus | 39.5 | 2025 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 15 | United Kingdom | 39.2 | 2018 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 15 | United Kingdom | 39.2 | 2018 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 15 | Malta | 39.2 | 2025 | up 16.0% | rising |
| 18 | Austria | 39.1 | 2025 | up 6.5% | rising |
| 19 | Lithuania | 38.6 | 2025 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 19 | Lithuania | 38.6 | 2025 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 21 | Latvia | 38.1 | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 21 | Latvia | 38.1 | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 21 | Czechia | 38.1 | 2025 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 24 | Hungary | 37.5 | 2025 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 24 | France | 37.5 | 2025 | up 7.4% | rising |
| 26 | Slovenia | 37.2 | 2025 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 26 | Slovenia | 37.2 | 2025 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 28 | Spain | 36.8 | 2025 | up 5.1% | rising |
| 29 | Slovakia | 36.1 | 2025 | up 8.1% | rising |
| 29 | Slovakia | 36.1 | 2025 | up 8.1% | rising |
| 31 | Poland | 35.9 | 2025 | up 10.1% | rising |
| 31 | Poland | 35.9 | 2025 | up 10.1% | rising |
| 33 | Belgium | 35.7 | 2025 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 34 | Luxembourg | 35.6 | 2025 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 35 | Serbia | 35.5 | 2025 | up 13.4% | rising |
| 35 | Serbia | 35.5 | 2025 | up 13.4% | rising |
| 37 | Greece | 35.3 | 2025 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 38 | Croatia | 35.1 | 2025 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 38 | Croatia | 35.1 | 2025 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 40 | Bulgaria | 34.6 | 2025 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 41 | Italy | 33 | 2025 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 42 | Romania | 32.7 | 2025 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 43 | North Macedonia | 31.8 | 2025 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 43 | North Macedonia | 31.8 | 2025 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 45 | Türkiye | 30.4 | 2025 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 46 | Montenegro | 30.3 | 2020 | up 9.0% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.