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17.7 thousand pensioners join the labor market / 14.4 thousand young people up to 29 years old "leave"

2026-06-11 07:13:00, Aktualitet CNA

17.7 thousand pensioners join the labor market / 14.4 thousand young people up

The number of employed people in the working-age population decreased by 32,736 people in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier, as labor market needs are being met with retirees.

Official data from INSTAT for the first quarter of 2026 show that the number of employees in the 15–29 age group has decreased by around 14.4 thousand people compared to the same period a year earlier, marking a sharp contraction of 8%.

The main age group of the labor market, 30–64 years old, has also suffered a decline of over 18 thousand employees, or 2.1% less in annual terms. These two categories constitute the base of the labor force and their decline indicates a significant weakening of the country's economic potential.

In contrast, the dynamics are completely different for those over 64. The number of employees in this category, represented by pensioners, reached 140,713 people and has increased by about 17.7 thousand people or 14.4% more for the same comparison period.

Employed pensioners reached 12.2% of the total employed in the first quarter of 2026 from 10.5% in the first quarter of 2025.

As the country rapidly loses working-age workers, the participation of older people is becoming increasingly important to keep economic activity afloat. A combination of factors, from youth emigration and an aging population to economic necessity, is pushing retirees to continue working.

If this trend continues, the labor market risks facing a labor shortage in the coming years, while the burden of keeping the economy active is shifting to retirees.

The sharp decline in the working-age workforce signals that the country's productive base is shrinking. It is precisely the youth and active age groups that usually bear the brunt of economic growth, because they are more likely to enter new sectors, adopt technology, and create added value. If they shrink, the economy gradually loses momentum and its ability to develop.

On the other hand, the increase in employment among retirees does not reflect a qualitative expansion of the labor market, but rather an adjustment to the shortage. Older people who continue to work often do so for economic reasons and usually in less productive, more traditional and not always formal activities. This shifts the economy towards a structure dominated by sectors with lower productivity and less growth potential.

As the economy needs more energy, innovation, and expansion to adapt to the digital revolution, it is increasingly relying on a workforce that is not designed to handle these roles. If this trend continues, the risk is not just a shortage of workers, but an economy that operates at a lower potential than it has the means to do so. /Monitor