Eurostat: Working life in Romania has lengthened but remains the shortest in the EU

Romania ranks last in the European Union by working live, with an estimate 32.7 years in 2025, up from 32.EURyears in 2023, according to the European statistical office Eurostat."The indication estimates the average number of years a person aged 15 is expected to remain in the labour force (either employed or unemployed) under current conditions. The indicator does not reflect legal retirement ages, policy targets, or any prescriptive measure of how long people must or should work. Instead, it describes observed labour market participation patterns. It is calculated using life expectancy and age-specific labour force participation rates, where the labour force includes both employed and unemployed persons," says Eurostat.Based on 2025 data, people aged 15 and over in the EU are expected to work on average 37.5 years, up from 37.EURin 2024. Since 2016, the expected duration of working life in the EU has increased by 2.3 years, from 35.EURto 37.5. However, this indicator differs significantly between EU countries.In 7 EU countries, the average expected duration of working life is 40 years or more: the Netherlands (44.0 years), Sweden (43.4), Denmark (42.6), Estonia (41.5), Ireland (40.7), Germany (40.2) and Finland (40.1). By contrast, Romania (32.7 years), Italy (33.0) and Bulgaria (34.6) have the shortest working lives.In 2025, men in the EU are expected to work on average 39.5 years, with the longest durations in the Netherlands (45.9 years), Sweden and Denmark (both 44.5) and Ireland (43.4). The shortest expected working lives for men are in Bulgaria (35.9 years), Romania (36.0) and Croatia (36.3).For women, the average expected duration of working life in the EU is 35.4 years. The longest durations were in Sweden (42.3 years), the Netherlands (41.9) and Estonia (41.8). The shortest durations are in Italy (28.4 years), Romania (29.1) and Greece (31.8).Compared with 2016, the expected duration of working life in the EU increased by 2.3 years, from 35.EURyears to 37.5 years. The gender gap also narrowed, falling to 4.1 years in 2025 from 5 years in 2016. A decade ago, the expected working life stood at 37.6 years for men and 32.6 years for women.Between 2016 and 2025, the expected duration of working life increased in every EU member state. However, four countries recorded particularly strong gains of four years or more: Malta (+4.9 years), Hungary and Ireland (both +4.EURyears), and the Netherlands (+4.1 years). By contrast, the increase was less than two years in Romania, Spain, Italy, Germany and Austria.Another notable trend across most EU countries was that women's expected working lives increased more than men's. The exceptions were Denmark, Romania, Sweden and Greece.