The length and timing of working life and the earnings received during that period in life affect the pension accumulation on an individual level. On a system level, working lives affect the financial sustainability of the pension system. The socio-political aims of extending working lives and raising the employment rate increase the need for research data on the subject.  

Under the research programme, we will do research on stages of and changes to working life that are significant from the point of view of pensions, and on the length of working life and income and related changes per population groups. A central subarea of our research is the labour market participation of the oldest working-age population. In addition, we focus on the early and mid-stages of working life and changes to and interruptions in working life. An increasing number of persons work in retirement. Under this research programme, we will therefore examine how common it is for people in Finland to work while drawing a pension and the underlying reasons for doing so.  

New studies

Educational expansion as a driver of longer working lives – Finnish women’s education level at the top in Europe

Educational expansion has improved labour force participation of over-55-year-olds in the last decades. Particularly women’s education level has increased rapidly. Labour force participation of low-educated people has increased at a lower pace in several Member States of the European Union. This is evident from a fresh research article by the Finnish Centre for Pensions.

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Light entrepreneurship on the upswing in Finland – improves employment but places many in a vulnerable labour market position

The number of light entrepreneurs has grown rapidly in recent years. At the same time, the profile of light entrepreneurs has changed: they are increasingly younger, of foreign origin and have only a basic education. The Finnish Centre for Pensions’ study examines, for the first time, the careers, income and pension accrual of light entrepreneurs in Finland over a period of several years.

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Retirement age becomes increasingly flexible and working in retirement more common – will inequality increase?

Flexible retirement ages offer options for retirement and continued work. However, a large proportion of people who reach retirement age retire as soon as possible and do not continue to work in retirement. Those who defer retirement and work in retirement have, on average, higher earnings and pension income than those who retire as soon as possible or who do not work in retirement, according to a recent research article by the Finnish Centre for Pensions.

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Shortage of qualified labour does not prompt all employers to hire older workers

Employers who face difficulties recruiting workers are not necessarily more willing than other employers to hire persons over the age of 55. These employers invest in older workers only if they have a more positive perception of older workers than employers have on average. This is evident in a fresh research article by the Finnish Centre for Pensions.

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Most persons who draw a partial disabilty pension work – their income is clearly higher than that of persons outside the labour force

A majority of the recipients of a partial disability pension work throughout the entire period of receiving the pension. Public sector employees work more often than do private sector employees or the self-employed. However, every fifth partial disability pension recipient is outside the labour force, as is revealed by a recent research article by the Finnish Centre for Pensions.

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Finnish Centre for Pensions – Central body of and expert on statutory earnings-related pensions