Normally, employees who retire early will have their pension reduced by 2% for each year of early retirement. However, according to the new regulations of the Law on Social Insurance (SI) 2024, from 2026, there will still be some cases of early retirement from 5 to 10 years without having the pension rate deducted.
According to Articles 64, 65 of the Law on Social Insurance 2024 and Article 219 of the 2019 Labor Code, employees are only entitled to pension when meeting two general conditions:
- Have paid 15 years or more of compulsory social insurance;
- Meeting the retirement age according to regulations.
However, the law still allows some groups of workers to retire earlier than the standard retirement age, if they meet special conditions. These cases are entitled to 100% of their pension, without deduction due to early retirement.
Cases of early retirement but not having their pensions deducted from 2026:
1. The group of workers who are allowed to retire at a lower age than the prescribed age (maximum 5 years)
Employees are allowed to retire 05 years earlier than the maximum without having their pension deducted when their total mandatory social insurance payment period is 15 years or more, and they are in one of the following cases:
Doing a heavy, toxic, dangerous or especially heavy, toxic, dangerous job or job;
Working in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, including working time in areas with regional allowance coefficient of 0.7 or higher before January 1, 2021.
This group includes both military and police personnel who meet the conditions on social insurance payment period.
2. The group of workers who are eligible for early retirement for a maximum of 10 years without pension deduction
Employees are allowed to retire early until the age of 10 but still receive full pension when they have paid social insurance for 15 years or more and are in one of the following cases:
Having worked for 15 years in a arduous, toxic, dangerous, or especially arduous, toxic, dangerous job or job according to the Government's list;
Working in areas with special difficulties, including working time in areas with regional allowance coefficient of 0.7 or higher before January 1, 2021;
Having worked in underground coal mining for 15 years as prescribed.
3. Retiring immediately upon eligibility without any deduction
Employees will be able to retire early and receive full pension if:
Having paid compulsory social insurance for 15 years;
get infected with HIV/AIDS due to occupational accidents.
The group includes both regular workers and armed forces.
Notes for those working in the military and police
Subjects in the armed forces who are subject to the regulation of early retirement without pension reduction include:
Officers and professional soldiers of the People's Army; officers and non-commissioned officers; officers and non-commissioned officers of the People's Public Security; people working in secret services receive salaries like soldiers;
Sub-officers and soldiers of the People's Army; non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the People's Public Security; military, police, and cryptography students studying and receiving living expenses;
Standing militia.
