Retirement age

There is no official retirement age in New Zealand. The common age to retire is 65 when NZ Super and some other pension payments start.

An employer cannot discriminate against you because of your age — generally an employer cannot make you retire.

If you think you’ve been forced to retire, you can take a personal grievance against your employer or get help from the Human Rights Commission.

Age discrimination at work — Govt.nz

Exceptions with a retirement age

A retirement age may apply if:

  • you’re working in a job with a retirement age — you may not be able to keep working after a specific age
  • your employment agreement was created before 1 April 1992 — agreements were allowed to specify a retirement age.

Check the information on Employment New Zealand’s website to see if a retirement age would apply to you.

Retirement

Who to contact for more help

If you need more help or have questions about the information or services on this page, contact one of the following agencies.

Utility links and page information

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