Proposal to extend retirement age to 70: Knowledgeable and experienced, but are you still healthy?

Doctors, researchers, consultants, and scientific experts are encouraged by experts to continue working after retirement, contributing their knowledge to society - Photo: HA QUAN

Recently, when seeking opinions on the Law on Cadres and Civil Servants (amended), the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed that Vietnam should refer to the experiences of other countries to be able to extend the retirement age to 70 years old for some technical and highly specialized fields such as experts, consultants...

Those who are able can work, those who are not able can retire?

Many Tuoi Tre Online readers and experts have different opinions on this matter.

The Purposeful Living account believes that the above proposal should be carefully considered because at the age of 70, all brain and body functions are quite slow, not to mention health has decreased a lot.

Sharing the same opinion, reader Viet Tri wrote: "At the age of approximately 60, your figure and health will decline a lot. At this age, you will have grandchildren.

Slowness has appeared, no longer dynamic. Technology and digital develop every day, only young people can keep up with it, old people find it difficult to update new technology.

“So let's leave the choice of whether to continue working or not to retirees if they have the need, instead of applying it to everyone,” this reader said.

According to reader Hellen, authorities need to research and survey carefully in all industries and fields to make regulations that are suitable to reality and gain public approval.

Vietroad readers believe that the authorities must clearly define which specific industries can extend the retirement age to 70 according to the agreement between employees and employers.

So whoever feels strong enough can continue, whoever doesn't feel strong enough can quit.

"Any agency that has a need should negotiate with retired workers. It cannot be applied to the whole society," reader Minh Tran expressed.

Account thie***@... suggested: "Let workers who are eligible to retire retire. If they want to continue working and society needs them, sign a seasonal labor contract or work on a project basis.

This way they have two sources of income, pension and contract wages. Flexible and not bound by social insurance procedures."

Have knowledge and experience but still have to ensure health

Speaking with Tuoi Tre Online , former Deputy Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (now the Ministry of Home Affairs) Pham Minh Huan said it is necessary to further research and evaluate the matter of extending the retirement age to 70 for officials and civil servants.

Because even though these people have knowledge and experience, they still have to ensure factors such as health, labor productivity, created value, etc.

Mr. Huan added that the principle of social insurance is contribution - benefit, the higher the contribution, the higher the benefit, but the maximum pension rate is 75%, so years of excess contribution can be calculated to receive a one-time subsidy.

“In Vietnam and some other countries, if the age is not increased, there will still be talented and knowledgeable people who want to contribute to some fields after retirement.

We should also have flexible and incentive mechanisms," Mr. Huan stated his opinion.

Prof. Dr. Giang Thanh Long - senior lecturer at the National Economics University - shared that according to a national survey on the elderly in Vietnam (as well as in some other countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia), health is the decisive factor in the need, ability to work and get a job.

2022 data in Vietnam shows that nearly 53% of older people want to work but are currently not working due to health reasons.

Professor Long emphasized that the elderly need to work in a favorable environment to promote their strengths.

Some countries in the region such as Japan, South Korea and China have had consistent and strong policies to combat age discrimination against elderly workers.

Besides, according to many studies, employment is a factor that promotes social connection for the elderly and reduces the risk of depression, dementia...

In 2025, the retirement age for men is 61 years and 3 months, for women is 56 years and 8 months

The 2019 Labor Code clearly states that the retirement age of employees under normal conditions will increase by 3 months for men and 4 months for women until men reach 62 years old in 2028 and women reach 60 years old in 2035.

In 2025, the retirement age for men is 61 years and 3 months, and for women it is 56 years and 8 months.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/de-xuat-keo-dai-tuoi-nghi-huu-den-70-co-kien-thuc-co-kinh-nghiem-nhung-lieu-con-khoe-khong-20250416150158357.htm