As the Polish Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) promotes active aging, new data from December 2025 shows that while nearly 880,000 pensioners remain in the workforce, the long-term growth of this trend is noticeably cooling.
The Benefits of Working Post-Retirement
The Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) actively encourages pensioners to remain professionally active, citing mutual benefits for both the individual and the state. Beyond increased income, staying in the workforce helps maintain social connections and an active lifestyle. The social security system allows for the combination of pension benefits with employment, and ongoing contributions can potentially boost future benefit amounts.
Growth Trends and Deceleration
In December 2025, there were 879,500 pensioners combining benefits with professional activity, an increase of over 52% compared to a decade ago. However, this growth has clearly slowed, with the number of working pensioners rising only slightly from 872,600 over the past year. Of these, 552,700 are also covered by mandatory pension and disability insurance.
Drivers Behind the Labor Market Shift
Paweł Jaroszek, a ZUS board member, notes that while the trend is slowing, the factors are multifaceted. Many employees are choosing to delay retirement, as employers are increasingly accommodating and workers seek the 8-12% increase in future benefits that each additional year of work can provide. Health concerns remain a significant barrier, as many retirees still opt to claim benefits as soon as they reach eligibility.
Demographics of Working Pensioners
Women account for 58.2% of all working pensioners, with the average age for those professionally active after retirement standing at 67.8 years. Specifically, the average age is 69.5 for men and 66.6 for women. Approximately 97% of these individuals have reached the statutory retirement age of 60 for women and 65 for men.
Geographic and Sector Distribution
Regionally, the Masovian and Silesian voivodeships report the highest concentrations of working pensioners at 16.5% and 13.8% respectively, while the Opole region has the fewest at 2.3%. Employment arrangements vary, with 37% working under standard employment contracts and 26.4% engaged through service contracts.