Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Implementing a gradual extension of the statutory Retirement Age

(Adopted at the 11th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress on September 13, 2024)

In order to fully implement the decision and deployment of the Party Central Committee on gradually delaying the statutory retirement age, adapt to the new situation of China's population development, and fully develop and utilize human resources, according to the Constitution, the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress decided:

(1) Simultaneously start to delay the statutory retirement age of male and female employees, and gradually increase the statutory retirement age of male employees from the original 60 years to 63 years, and increase the statutory retirement age of female employees from the original 50 years and 55 years to 55 years and 58 years respectively within 15 years.

Implementing gradual delay of the statutory retirement age adhere to the principle of small adjustments, flexible implementation, classified promotion, and overall consideration.

Third, people's governments at all levels should actively respond to the aging population, encourage and support workers to find jobs and start businesses, effectively protect the rights and interests of workers, and coordinate the promotion of old-age care and other related work.

To approve the Measures of The State Council on Gradually Postponing the Statutory Retirement Age. According to actual needs, The State Council may supplement and refine the implementation of these Measures.

V. This Decision shall take effect as of January 1, 2025. The provisions concerning the retirement age in the Interim Measures of The State Council on the Placement of Old, Infirm and Disabled Cadres and the Interim Measures of The State Council on the Retirement and Retirement of Workers approved by the Second Session of the Standing Committee of the Fifth National People's Congress shall no longer be implemented.

Measures of The State Council on Gradually postponing the Statutory Retirement Age

Implement a gradual increase in the statutory retirement age. In order to do this work well, these Measures are formulated.

Article 1 Starting from January 1, 2025, the statutory retirement age of male employees and female employees whose original statutory retirement age is 55 years old shall be extended by one month every four months, gradually increasing to 63 years and 58 years respectively. For female employees whose original statutory retirement age was 50 years old, the statutory retirement age shall be extended by one month every two months and gradually extended to 55 years old. If the State provides otherwise, such provisions shall prevail.

Article 2 Starting from January 1, 2030, the minimum monthly contribution period for employees to receive basic pensions will be gradually increased from 15 years to 20 years, with an annual increase of six months. Employees who have reached the statutory retirement age but are less than the minimum period of contribution may, in accordance with regulations, reach the minimum period of contribution by extending the payment of contributions or paying in one lump sum, and receive basic pensions on a monthly basis.

Article 3 Employees who have reached the minimum payment period may voluntarily choose flexible early retirement, with the advance time not exceeding three years, and the retirement age shall not be lower than the original statutory retirement age of 50 and 55 years for female employees and 60 years for male employees. If an employee reaches the statutory retirement age and the employer and the employee reach a consensus through consultation, the retirement may be flexibly delayed, and the delay time shall not exceed three years. If the State provides otherwise, such provisions shall prevail. In the course of implementation, employees shall not be forced to choose the retirement age against their will, illegally or in disguised form.

Article 4 The State improves the incentive mechanism for old-age insurance. Encourage employees to pay more, pay more and retire more late. The payment ratio of basic pension is linked to the cumulative payment years of individuals, the payment base of basic pension is linked to the actual payment of individuals, and the personal account pension is determined according to the retirement age of individuals, personal account savings and other factors.

Article 5 The State implements the strategy of giving priority to employment to promote high-quality and full employment. We will improve the employment public service system and the lifelong vocational skills training system. We will support young people in finding jobs and starting businesses, strengthen job opportunities for older workers, and improve the employment assistance system for people in need. Strengthen the prevention and management of age discrimination in employment, and encourage employers to absorb more older workers.

Article 6 When employing workers who have reached the statutory retirement age, the employing unit shall guarantee the basic rights and interests of the workers, such as remuneration for work, rest and vacation, occupational safety and health, and injury protection.

The state will strengthen protection of the rights and interests of workers in flexible employment and new forms of employment.

The state has improved the system of paid annual leave.

Article 7 For persons who receive unemployment insurance compensation and are less than one year away from the statutory retirement age, the period of receiving unemployment insurance compensation shall be extended to the statutory retirement age, and during the period of gradually delaying the statutory retirement age, the unemployment insurance fund shall pay pension insurance premiums for them in accordance with the provisions.

Article 8 The State standardizes and improves the early retirement policy for special types of jobs. Employees engaged in underground, high-altitude, high-temperature, particularly heavy physical labor and other special types of work prescribed by the State, as well as workers in high-altitude areas, who meet the conditions may apply for early retirement.

Article 9 The State shall establish a service system for the aged featuring coordination between home-based community institutions and the combination of medical and nursing care, and vigorously develop the universal child-care service system.