Starfsævi

Starfsævi is a sociological and demographic term that describes the span of a person’s life during which they are engaged in paid employment or are available for paid work. In Icelandic usage, it is commonly understood as the working life from entering the labor market to retirement, though in practice it can include periods of non-employment that are part of a typical career path, such as training, caregiving, or illness-related leaves.

In practice, starfsævi is often linked with the concept of working life expectancy, which estimates the average number of years a person can expect to spend in paid work from a given age under current labour-market conditions and pension rules. It is a key metric for assessing pension sustainability, labour-force participation, and dependency in aging populations.

Several factors influence starfsævi, including retirement age, health, education, and the structure of the labor market. Policy changes—such as extended working life, flexible retirement, parental leave, and disability benefits—can lengthen or shorten the working life. Gender norms and caregiving duties frequently create differences in starfsævi between men and women.

Data on starfsævi come from surveys, censuses, and administrative records collected by national statistics offices and research institutes. Analysts typically estimate starfsævi by age, sex, occupation, and education, and may present scenarios under alternative policy settings.

See also: working life expectancy, retirement, pensions, labor force participation, demographic ageing.