NPC Decision on Gradually Raising China's Statutory Retirement Age (Full Text)

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

In order to deeply implement the decision and deployment of the CPC Central Committee on the gradual delay of the statutory retirement age, adapt to the new situation of China's population development, and fully develop and utilize human resources, in accordance with the Constitution, the 11th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Fourteenth National People's Congress decides:

Synchronously launch the delay of the statutory retirement age for male and female employees. Over a period of 15 years, the statutory retirement age for male employees will be gradually delayed from the original 60 years old to 63 years old, and the statutory retirement age for female employees will be gradually delayed from the original 50 years old and 55 years old to 55 years old and 58 years old, respectively.

Principles of Implementation: The implementation of the gradual delay of the statutory retirement age shall adhere to the principles of small-step adjustment, flexible implementation, categorized advancement, and holistic consideration.

Government Responsibilities: People's governments at all levels shall actively respond to population aging, encourage and support workers in employment and entrepreneurship, effectively protect workers' rights and interests, and coordinate the advancement of related work such as elderly care and childcare.

Approval of Measures: Approve the Measures of the State Council on Implementing the Gradual Delay of the Statutory Retirement Age. The State Council may supplement and refine the implementation of these Measures according to actual needs.

Effective Date: This Decision shall come into effect on January 1, 2025. The provisions regarding retirement age in the Provisional Measures of the State Council on the Placement of Old, Weak, Sick, and Disabled Cadres and the Provisional Measures of the State Council on the Retirement and Resignation of Workers, approved by the 2nd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Fifth National People's Congress, shall no longer be implemented.

Measures of the State Council on Implementing the Gradual Delay of the Statutory Retirement Age Adhering to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and deeply implementing the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, these Measures are specially formulated to effectively carry out the gradual delay of the statutory retirement age. This implementation takes into comprehensive consideration factors such as China's average life expectancy, health levels, population structure, citizens' education levels, and labor supply, and follows the principles of small-step adjustment, flexible implementation, categorized advancement, and holistic consideration.

Article 1 Starting from January 1, 2025, for male employees and female employees whose original statutory retirement age was 55, the statutory retirement age shall be delayed by one month for every four months, gradually delaying to 63 and 58 years old, respectively; for female employees whose original statutory retirement age was 50, the statutory retirement age shall be delayed by one month for every two months, gradually delaying to 55 years old. Where the State stipulates otherwise, such provisions shall prevail.

Article 2 Starting from January 1, 2030, the minimum contribution period for employees to receive basic pensions on a monthly basis will be gradually increased from 15 years to 20 years, increasing by six months each year. Employees who have reached the statutory retirement age but have not met the minimum contribution period may meet the requirement through extended contributions or a one-time payment in accordance with regulations, so as to receive basic pensions on a monthly basis.

Article 3 Employees who have reached the minimum contribution period may voluntarily choose flexible early retirement. The early retirement period shall not exceed three years, and the retirement age shall not be lower than the original statutory retirement age of 50 or 55 for female employees and 60 for male employees. When an employee reaches the statutory retirement age, subject to consensus reached through negotiation between the employer and the employee, flexible delayed retirement may be implemented; the delayed period shall not exceed three years. Where the State stipulates otherwise, such provisions shall prevail. During implementation, it is forbidden to go against the will of the employees or illegally force or covertly force employees to choose a retirement age.

Article 4 The State shall improve the incentive mechanism for pension insurance, encouraging employees to get more by contributing longer, contributing more, and retiring later. The calculation and payment ratio of the basic pension is linked to the individual's cumulative contribution years, the base for calculating the basic pension is linked to the individual's actual contributions, and the personal account pension is determined based on factors such as the individual's retirement age and the accumulated amount in the personal account.

Article 5 The State shall implement an employment-first strategy to promote high-quality and full employment. It will improve the public employment service system and the lifelong vocational skills training system. It supports youth employment and entrepreneurship, strengthens the development of employment posts for older workers, and improves the employment assistance system for persons facing difficulties. It will strengthen the prevention and governance of employment age discrimination and incentivize employers to absorb more older workers for employment.

Article 6 When employers hire workers who have exceeded the statutory retirement age, they shall ensure that the workers enjoy basic rights and interests such as labor remuneration, rest and leave, occupational safety and health, and work-related injury protection. The State shall strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of workers in flexible employment and new forms of employment. The State shall improve the paid annual leave system.

Article 7 For persons receiving unemployment insurance benefits who are less than one year away from the statutory retirement age, the period for receiving unemployment insurance benefits shall be extended to the statutory retirement age. During the implementation of the gradual delay of the statutory retirement age, the unemployment insurance fund shall pay their pension insurance premiums in accordance with regulations.

Article 8 The State shall standardize and improve policies for early retirement for special occupations. Employees engaged in special occupations prescribed by the State, such as underground, high-altitude, high-temperature, or particularly heavy physical labor, as well as those working in high-altitude areas, may apply for early retirement if they meet the conditions.

Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Implementing the Gradual Delay of the Statutory Retirement Age