Young people express concerns over rising retirement age in Finland

Seven years ago, the minimum retirement age was linked to life expectancy, resulting in a rise in the expected retirement age for younger generations. Many young people now face the unsettling thought that they may never retire, dedicating their healthy years to their careers while older generations enjoyed retirement in their sixties.

Currently, young people are still projected to have years of retirement ahead—assuming the pension system remains unchanged. In a video, 24-year-old Vivian Tiihonen shares her feelings about increasing retirement ages, questioning whether it’s truly possible to work longer. The final retirement age is set at 62 years, but current projections indicate the minimum age for 21-year-olds is already climbing to 68 years and 10 months.

Furthermore, the aim is for individuals to work a few years beyond the minimum retirement age. Tiihonen, who studies nursing, expresses a pessimistic view about her pension years, saying, “I doubt I will ever reach that point.” She believes more people will take gig jobs even in retirement, finding the notion of her as a grandmother looking after others rather absurd.

Another student, Kerkko Nieminen, studying social work, feels the rise in retirement age is unfair, reflecting on the earlier retirement of his parents and grandparents. He contemplates a longer work life as a result of increased life expectancy—currently around 79 years for men, compared to just over 60 in the 1940s.

Experts believe that current young people will likely enjoy a similar amount of retirement time as previous generations, around twenty years. However, questions remain about whether they will sacrifice their healthy years to work or only reach retirement when mobility is a challenge.