The map of Europe above shows the expected duration of working life for 15-year-olds across European countries, based on 2023 data from Eurostat.
Iceland leads Europe with the longest expected working life at 45.7 years, about a decade and a half longer than the shortest, Türkiye, at 29.9 years.
Northern and Western European countries generally show longer working lives. Conversely, Southern and Eastern European countries tend to have shorter working lives.
The differences reflect various factors including retirement ages, education duration, economic conditions, and labor market policies across Europe.
Germany, Europe’s largest economy, sits in the middle range with 39.6 years, while France comes in slightly lower at 36.8 years.
The gap between neighboring countries can be substantial. For instance, Finland‘s working life expectancy (39.9 years) is significantly higher than that of its Baltic neighbor Latvia (37.0 years).
The EU average stands at 36.9 years, with exactly half of the shown countries falling above this benchmark and half below. European men have a higher average expected working life, at 39.0 years, compared to the women at 34.7 years, according to the same Eurostat study.
These figures help explain economic differences across the continent, with longer working lives generally correlating with stronger economies and higher GDP per capita, though exceptions exist.
Since 2000, most European countries have seen increases in their expected working lives, reflecting later retirement ages and changing workforce participation patterns, especially among women.
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