The years-of-service pension was introduced in connection with the 2017 pension reform. A person may qualify for a years-of-service pension if

• they have done mental or physical work that requires great effort for at least 38 years,
• their ability to work is reduced,
• they were born in 1955 or later, and
• they are 63 or older.

The years-of-service pension offers a route to retirement for persons who are not entitled to a full disability pension although their ability to work has been reduced.

The long, full-time working life (min. 38 years) of work that requires great effort can include short breaks (max. 3 years), such as maternity, paternity and parental leaves.

The condition of 38 years of work that requires great effort is checked based on the data in the registers of the earnings-related pension system and legitimate statements presented by the applicant. The application for a years-of-service pension must be submitted within one year from stopping working.

The years-of-service pension can be granted to persons born between 1955 and 1964r (their retirement age is 63 years or more). For those born in 1965 or later, the age limit requirement for the years-of-service pension is linked to life expectancy. The first years-of-service pensions were paid out in 2018.

The years-of-service pension is the same amount as the pension earned by the end of the month before the pension starts. The years-of-service pension is smaller than the disability pension since the years-of-service pension does not include the projected pension component.