BERLIN, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- About 13 percent of German retirees aged 65 to 74 remained employed last year, according to preliminary figures released Tuesday by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
Destatis said the data show employment falls sharply with age among retirees, with 18 percent of 65- and 66-year-olds still working, compared with just 8 percent among those aged 73 to 74.
Most seniors work part-time. Nearly 40 percent put in fewer than 10 hours a week, while only 14 percent work more than 40 hours.
Germany's population aged 65 and over has risen from about 12 million in 1991 to 19 million in 2024, boosting their share of the total population from 15 to 23 percent. At the same time, the Federal Employment Agency reported that one in eight occupations now faces a shortage of skilled workers.
To help ease these gaps, the government plans to launch an "active pension" scheme in January 2026, allowing retirees who keep working to earn up to 2,000 euros (2,333 U.S. dollars) per month tax-free. Labor Minister Baerbel Bas said the measure aims to encourage experienced workers to remain in the labor market. (1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollar)
