As Vietnam moves toward an ageing society, experts are urging the government to expand social pension coverage by lowering the qualifying age to 65.
Although Vietnam's GDP per capita has reached approximately US$5,000, the country still sets the eligibility age for its social pension at 75, higher than the threshold recommended by international organizations. A population expert has therefore proposed lowering the qualifying age to 65.
The proposal was put forward by Prof. Nguyen Dinh Cu, former Director of the Institute of Population and Social Issues at the National Economics University in Hanoi, as Vietnam experiences one of the fastest population ageing rates in the region and approaches the stage of becoming an aged society.
Proposal to lower the eligibility age to 65
Prof. Nguyen Dinh Cu. Photo: Vo Thu.
Under current regulations, Vietnamese citizens become eligible for the social pension at 75 years old under normal conditions, while those aged 70 to under 75 from poor or near-poor households are also eligible.
According to Prof. Cu, although eligibility has been expanded in recent years, coverage remains limited.
He cited data showing that in 2025, only about 42% of people above retirement age - around 6 million people - received pensions, monthly social insurance benefits or social pensions. This is significantly lower than coverage rates in several neighboring countries, including China (95%) and Thailand (93%).
An estimated 8.51 million people, representing 58% of Vietnam's post-retirement-age population, remain outside the social security system.
Speaking at a recent workshop reviewing the implementation of the 2009 Law on the Elderly as the basis for drafting amendments, Prof. Cu proposed that all Vietnamese citizens aged 65 and above who do not receive pensions or other regular social assistance should be entitled to a monthly social pension funded by the state budget.
He also suggested that benefit levels should increase progressively according to age groups, rather than applying a single payment level to all recipients as is currently the case.
According to Prof. Cu, setting the eligibility age at 65 would better align with international practice and Vietnam's demographic reality.
He noted that average life expectancy in Vietnam increased from 69.1 years in 1999 to 74.7 years in 2024, while the statutory retirement age has also continued to rise. Many countries and international organizations use 65 as the benchmark for defining older persons.
The population expert added that as early as 1967, the International Labour Organization (ILO) recommended in its convention on invalidity, old-age and survivors' benefits that countries provide social pensions for people aged 65 and above who do not receive pensions.
Despite Vietnam's GDP per capita reaching around US$5,000, its social pension eligibility age remains higher than that recommendation.
He also pointed to significant regional differences in life expectancy.
For example, average life expectancy for men in Lai Chau Province is about 62.9 years, while women in Ho Chi Minh City and several provinces in southeastern Vietnam have an average life expectancy exceeding 79 years.
Applying the same 75-year eligibility threshold nationwide is therefore considered inappropriate.
Proposal calls for age-based policy groups
The Ministry of Health says the current definition of older persons as those aged 60 and above has revealed shortcomings. Photo: Hoang Ha.
Prof. Cu also proposed revising the definition of older persons in the Law on the Elderly by defining older citizens as those aged 65 and above, divided into three groups:
Young-old: 65-69 years Middle-old: 70-79 years Oldest-old: 80 years and above
Each age group has different health conditions, levels of dependence and capacity to participate in economic and social activities.
Most people aged 65-69 remain capable of working and living independently, while those aged 80 and above are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses and require greater care.
He argued that policies should therefore be tailored to each age group rather than applying the same approach to all older adults.
The Ministry of Health expressed a similar view in its draft report reviewing implementation of the Law on the Elderly.
The ministry said the current legal definition, which classifies everyone aged 60 and above as older persons, no longer reflects the significant differences in health, work capacity and care needs between people in their early sixties and much older age groups.
According to the ministry, grouping older people by age would help allocate resources more efficiently, develop policies better suited to each group, and support the transition from a welfare-based approach to one focused on long-term care while encouraging older people to remain active in society amid rapid population ageing.
Vietnamnet.vn
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