How many years must you work to retire in Uruguay? Age, service, AFAP and years abroad

Many people read “30 years of work and age 65” and conclude that, if they start late, they retire at 71. It isn't that linear. The common causal has a scale, there are early exits, part of your contribution goes to an account of your own, and years worked abroad can count. Let's go step by step.

The common causal: 65 + 30, but on a scale

The new Common Pension System (Law 20.130) sets the normal causal at 65 years and 30 of service. But that's not the only door: for each extra year of age, the years of service required drop.

The MEF sums it up:

«El nuevo sistema establece como edad de retiro los 65 años (para aquellos nacidos desde el año 1977 en adelante) y mantiene el requerimiento de 30 años de servicio.»

In English: The new system sets the retirement age at 65 (for those born from 1977 onward) and keeps the requirement of 30 years of service.

And the scale continues:

«66 años de edad y 27 de servicios; 67 y 24; 68 y 21; 69 y 18, hasta llegar a 70 años y 15 de servicios.»

In English: 66 years of age and 27 of service; 67 and 24; 68 and 21; 69 and 18, up to 70 years and 15 of service.

This is key: you aren't forced to gather 30 years no matter what. If you retire older, fewer years are required — at 70, only 15 of service. So starting at 41 doesn't doom you to “71”: the scale works in your favor.

What if you started late?

If you start only now and don't reach 30 years by 65, you have two paths: keep working until you meet the causal, or use the scale and retire older with fewer years (e.g. 70 and 15). Which is better depends on your health, your job and how much you want to collect — more years contributed, better pension.

Long career: retire earlier

The other way around: with many years of formal work you can leave before 65.

Per the MEF:

«Para las personas que tengan una larga trayectoria laboral, se incluyó la posibilidad de retirarse con menos edad. Así, quienes tengan 38 años de trabajo formal podrán jubilarse con 63 años de edad y los que tengan 35 podrán hacerlo a los 64 años.»

In English: For people with a long working trajectory, the possibility of retiring at a younger age was included. Thus, those with 38 years of formal work can retire at 63 and those with 35 can do so at 64.

The transition by year of birth

Age 65 doesn't apply to everyone at once: it rises gradually by year of birth. This matters for knowing your exact age.

The increase is gradual:

«El aumento de la edad de retiro será gradual y comenzará a aplicarse en los nacidos a partir de 1973 quienes se jubilarían con 61 años; los nacidos en 1974 con 62 años y así sucesivamente hasta los nacidos a partir de 1977 con 65 años.»

In English: The rise in retirement age will be gradual and will begin to apply to those born from 1973, who would retire at 61; those born in 1974 at 62, and so on until those born from 1977 at 65.

Part of your contribution is already yours: the AFAP account

An answer to “why not just put it in my bank?”: in the mixed system, part of your contribution goes to an individual savings account in an AFAP, in your name, which capitalizes and is inheritable. It's not all solidarity: a portion is your own saving, managed within the pension system.

Years worked abroad can count

If you're an expat, this matters: Uruguay has social-security agreements that let you add up (totalize) your contribution history across countries. Your years abroad aren't necessarily lost.

The BPS confirms it:

«Además, Uruguay tiene convenios de Seguridad Social con otros países, lo que permite que las personas que residen en el exterior y hayan tenido actividad laboral en Uruguay, así como quienes residen en Uruguay y hayan tenido actividad laboral o residencia en el exterior, puedan acceder a la jubilación.»

In English: In addition, Uruguay has social-security agreements with other countries, which allows people residing abroad who had work activity in Uruguay, as well as those residing in Uruguay who had work activity or residence abroad, to access retirement.

Check your work history

The most important thing: the 30 years (or whatever applies) count over your ENTIRE contributed working life, not from today. If you've already worked formally here or abroad, those years are already there. Log in to your historia laboral at the BPS to see what you've accumulated and estimate your pension with its simulator.

Age and years of service (common causal)

In short: it's not just “30 and 65”. There's a scale rewarding retiring older with fewer years, early exits for long careers, a savings account of your own in the AFAP, and counting years abroad. The duty to contribute is legal and solidarity-based, but it gives you a lifetime pension, disability, survivor and health coverage — things a bank account doesn't. Verify your case and current terms with the BPS.