In 2018, the expected duration of working life of people in the EU was 36.2 years
In 2018, the expected duration of working life of people in the EU (i.e. the number of years that 15-year-olds are expected to work in their life) was 36.2 years (Eurostat figures).
This is 0.3 years longer than in 2017 and 3.3 years longer than in 2000.
Men are expected to work longer than women: on average, the expected working life for men is 38.6 years and for women 33.7
The expected duration of working life varied among Member States, ranging from 31.8 years in Italy, 32.4 in Croatia and 32.9 in Greece to 39.9 years in Denmark, 40.5 in the Netherlands and 41.9 in Sweden. In Spain is 35,2.
EU 2020 strategy on employment
The duration of working life indicator has been developed to monitor the EU 2020 strategy on employment.
It is an indication of the number of years a person, at the current age of 15 years, is expected to be in the labour market (i.e. to be employed or unemployed) throughout his or her life.
The expected average duration of working lives of the adult population aged 15 years and more is described for the 28 EU Member States, four candidate countries and three EFTA countries.
It provides a different angle of the labour market, looking at the entire life cycle of persons in the labour market (i.e. being employed or unemployed) rather than on specific states in the life cycle, such as youth unemployment or early withdrawal from the labour force.
