More Swiss working beyond retirement age

The large cohorts of baby boomers are increasingly moving into the over-64 age group, causing it to grow significantly. Keystone-SDA

The share of people aged 64 and older in the overall workforce in Switzerland has more than doubled since 2005, according to new figures from the Swiss Labour Force Survey.

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Twenty years ago, around 87,000 people were working after reaching the standard retirement age; by 2025, this number had risen to 220,000. According to an analysis by the financial news agency AWP, this figure is now roughly two and a half times the 2005 level.

Among other things, this increase reflects demographic trends: the large cohorts of baby boomers are increasingly moving into the over-64 age group, causing it to grow significantly.

At the same time, there is a trend toward longer working lives in old age: currently, around 12% of those over 64 are employed, compared to 7% in 2005. The statistics, updated in mid-April, also show that both genders are equally more likely to be employed.

More than half of full-time workers aged 64 and older are self-employed. However, most work 50% of full-time hours or less. Only about one-seventh are employed full-time.

Overall, those aged 64 and older accounted for 4.5% of the workforce in 2025, more than double the proportion in 2005 (2.1%).

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Translated from German with AI/gw

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