More people will be able to work until the age of 72
From 1 January 2026, the mandatory retirement age in the state sector will be raised from 70 to 72 years. This means that state employees no longer need to request permission from their employer to continue working once they reach 70.
Same upper age limit in public and private sectors
The Norwegian Parliament (the Storting) has decided to raise the retirement age in the state sector from 1 January 2026. This will effectively establish a common upper age limit in working life – 72 years – for employees in the state, municipal, and private sectors.
The new age limit applies to everyone who turns 70 on or after 1 January 2026. Employers with collective agreements that specify a lower retirement age will be given some time to adjust to the new limit.
Exceptions for certain occupational groups
There will still be exceptions to the age limit for positions with a special age limit, where health and public safety considerations require a lower maximum age.
Will not affect people's pensions
The increase in the retirement age in the state sector has been designed so that no one will receive a lower pension as a result. The new age limit gives state employees who wish to continue working the opportunity to do so.
The new pension rules for public sector employees born in 1963 or later also make it possible to work as much as they like while drawing their pension. Public sector employees in this age group will, as before, continue to accrue service pension rights until the age of 75.