Recent social media posts have speculated about a potential increase in Uzbekistan’s retirement age, citing recommendations from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international organizations. The Pension Fund of Uzbekistan has issued a statement addressing these claims.
According to the statement, no final decision regarding pension system reforms has been made in Uzbekistan. Currently, the matter is under review, with ongoing analysis and proposal development.
As per a Cabinet of Ministers resolution, a working group has been established to analyze existing challenges within the state pension system. The group is tasked with preparing proposals to ensure the system’s sustainability and strengthen social equity, drawing on leading international practices. This includes developing a draft concept for reforming the state pension system.
Furthermore, the State Program for implementing the “Uzbekistan — 2030” Strategy, designated as the “Year of Supporting Youth and Business,” includes provisions for engaging local and international experts to contribute to these proposals.
To this end, an international seminar was held in Tashkent in December 2024, with participation from the IMF, World Bank, ADB, and ILO, to discuss key directions for pension reforms.
On May 1, 2025, a meeting was held with representatives from the International Labour Organization to discuss prepared proposals and the possibilities for actuarial assessment of the pension system. On May 12, a meeting of the International Advisory Council took place to discuss recommendations provided for the draft reform concept.
On June 10-11, an expert from the International Association of Pension and Social Funds conducted a detailed analysis of proposals for reforming the pension system.
The proposed changes prioritize the following:
What are the recommendations from international experts?
The documents circulating on social media represent a package of recommendations and consultations prepared by international organizations for the government of Uzbekistan.
These recommendations are not final decisions but are being considered as potential options for guiding reform directions.
General recommendations from the IMF, World Bank, ADB, and ILO include:
The International Advisory Council, considering demographic changes in Uzbekistan, recommends:
An expert from the International Association of Pension and Social Funds suggests:
The Pension Fund emphasized that all these recommendations are currently under thorough review by the working group. Their suitability for Uzbekistan’s conditions and their impact on the population’s living standards are being analyzed.
“It should be particularly noted that no final decision has been made in Uzbekistan regarding raising the retirement age,” the fund stated.
Any changes to the pension system, including retirement age matters, will be implemented gradually only after extensive public discussion, taking into account the opinions and interests of citizens.
Currently, the retirement age in Uzbekistan is:
A minimum of 25 years of work experience for men and 20 years for women is also required.