People in the European Union are expected to spend an average of 37.5 years in the labour force during their lifetime, according to the latest Eurostat data for 2025. This marks an increase from 37.2 years in 2024 and continues a long-term upward trend, with the expected duration of working life rising by 2.3 years since 2016.
The figures show significant differences across EU countries. The Netherlands recorded the longest expected working life at 44.0 years, followed by Sweden (43.4) and Denmark (42.6). Other countries where people are expected to work for at least 40 years include Estonia, Ireland, Germany and Finland.
At the other end of the scale, Romania (32.7 years) recorded the shortest expected working life, followed by Italy (33.0) and Bulgaria (34.6).
The report also highlights a gender gap. Across the EU, men are expected to spend an average of 39.5 years in the labour force, compared with 35.4 years for women. Sweden recorded the longest expected working life for women at 42.3 years, while Italy had the shortest at 28.4 years.
Eurostat noted that the indicator reflects labour market participation patterns and does not represent retirement ages or how long people are required to work.
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