The switch from employment to retirement – More people working during retirement

Retiring at 60 is less common in 2012 than in 2006.There are also fewer people taking early retirement or stopping work before the normal age. These trends have been offset above all by a sharp rise in employment among the 55s and over. In 2012, two thirds of retired people in their sixties having left the labour market after the age of 50 switched directly from employment to retirement. For the remaining third, end-of-career trajectories were marked by unemployment, health problems, early retirement or family obligations. Working during retirement is more frequent today, with these jobs usually being part time. In 2012, those in their fifties and in work were expected to stop working at the age of 61.4 on average, which is 1.5 years more than for their elders in 2006.