Spain's Social Security has confirmed that from 2027 the ordinary retirement age in Spain will be set at 67 years, thus completing the phased increase foreseen in the pension reform.
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However, the system will maintain one important exception – workers who can prove at least 38 years and six months of contributions will still be able to retire at age 65 without any penalty to their pension.
This model responds to the so-called “duality” in retirement age introduced in previous reforms to adapt the system to rising life expectancy and the demographic pressure created by baby boomers retiring.
Furthermore, the regulations set out different forms of early retirement. In the case of voluntary early retirement, it may be brought forward by up to two years from the standard retirement age, provided there are at least 35 years of contributions. Involuntary early retirement, on the other hand, allows retirement to be brought forward by up to four years, with a minimum of 33 years of contributions.
In both cases, reduction coefficients are applied, lowering the pension amount depending on the length of the early retirement period and the worker’s contribution history.
With this reform, the Spanish pension system completes the process begun in 2013 – a gradual increase in the retirement age from 65 to the current 67, while maintaining incentives for longer working careers.
Madrid will allow partial retirement for teachers in state-subsidised private schools
On the other hand, the Government of the Community of Madrid has reached an agreement with unions and employers to reinstate partial retirement for teachers in state-subsidised private schools starting in September 2026.
The measure will allow teachers approaching their retirement within two years to reduce their working hours to seven hours per week instead of the stipulated 25, while maintaining 100% of their Social Security contributions, financed by the regional government.
The agreement will benefit more than 500 teachers and also includes the hiring of replacement teachers with permanent contracts, promoting generational renewal in educational centres.
Retirement at age 52 authorised for high-risk professionals
Another piece of news is that certain professional groups will be able to access early retirement from the age of 52 without any reductions being applied to the amount of their pension, after receiving regulatory approval.
This measure is aimed at occupations with particularly demanding or dangerous working conditions, in which greater physical strain or risk is recognised, justifying earlier access to retirement without financial penalty.
Among them are forest firefighters, bullfighters, local police officers and railway workers and military professions may be included too – discussions are still underway.
The aim is to adapt the pension system to the reality of these sectors, guaranteeing social protection without reducing the economic rights of the affected workers.
