Arbetslivsduration

Arbetslivsduration is a conceptual term used in labor market research to describe the length of time a person remains active in paid work over the life course. It covers the period from when an individual enters the labor market to when they exit it, whether through retirement, disability, unemployment, or voluntary withdrawal. The concept can be applied at the level of individuals, cohorts, or populations and is commonly used to analyze changes in work participation over time and across countries.

Measuring arbetslivsduration can take several forms. It may be expressed as the number of years spent in employment or as the age range during which a person is typically employed. A related and widely used metric is working life expectancy (WLE), which estimates the expected number of years in work from a given age based on age-specific labor force participation rates and life expectancy. Data for these measures typically come from longitudinal studies, labor force surveys, and administrative records, and are often analyzed in cohort or period perspectives.

Determinants of arbetslivsduration include education level, health, job quality, caregiving responsibilities, and the structure of retirement policies. Gender differences, part-time versus full-time work, and economic conditions also influence how long people stay in the workforce. Policy regimes—such as retirement age rules, pension generosity, and active labor market programs—shape expected duration in work.

The concept is relevant for planning and policy, informing projections of labor supply, pension costs, and the design of retirement age and activation policies. Limitations arise from definitional differences, varying data sources, and the distinction between full-time and partial work.