Men’s Life Expectancy Exceeds 80 Years for the First Time

Life expectancy has increased significantly over the past year

Over the past year, life expectancy has risen by 0.4 years for men and 0.2 years for women. Put simply, men have become about seven months older on average in just one year, as life expectancy increased by five months. Men now live an average of 80.3 years, while women live an average of 83.9 years.

Danes who reach the state pension age of 67 can on average expect to receive state pension benefits for 18.4 years. In 2006, a broad parliamentary majority entered into a long-term agreement on the retirement age, known as the Welfare Agreement. The agreement established the principle that the state pension age should rise in line with increases in the remaining life expectancy of 60-year-olds. However, the retirement age can increase by no more than one year every five years. The agreement also set an ambition to reduce the average number of years spent on state pension to 14.5 years. That target is still far from being achieved.

When the Welfare Agreement was concluded in 2006, Danes could expect to spend an average of 17.6 years on state pension. Over the following 20 years, the goal of 14.5 years has moved further out of reach because remaining life expectancy has increased more than the retirement age.

There is currently political debate in Denmark about whether the Welfare Agreement should be softened so that the state pension age from 2045 onward will increase less than under the current rules.

The rising life expectancy and the ongoing political discussion make it increasingly important for companies to include senior employees in the workforce. Over the next 15 years, there will be a significant decline in the number of workers with vocational training and similar qualifications. The ability to ensure that senior employees remain employed, even beyond the state pension age, may have a major impact on which companies are able to grow and which may face production constraints due to a shortage of competent and motivated workers.

Low but rising fertility

As in many other countries, the birth rate in Denmark is also low. In 2025, the total fertility rate was 1.506 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 49. As a result, the population is not reproducing itself.

The highest fertility rate is found among women of Danish origin, at just under 1.6. Among non-Western immigrants, the rate was approximately 1.4, while among Western immigrants it was 1.2.

Among women of Danish origin, the fertility rate remained around 1.8 every year from 2005 to 2021, after which it declined until reaching a historic low of just over 1.5 in 2024. Only ten years ago, the fertility rate among non-Western immigrants was 2.1, but it has since fallen sharply and is now lower than that of women of Danish origin.

Low fertility in Denmark and the rest of Europe makes it more difficult to recruit the workers that businesses need. Immigration of employees from countries outside the European Union will therefore be crucial for the continued development of European companies.

Population increased by 33,000

Approximately 102,000 people immigrated to Denmark in 2025, while about 70,000 emigrated. This resulted in net immigration of around 32,000. Ukrainians accounted for approximately 9,000 of this net immigration. The remainder was primarily immigration related to employment. Overall, the population grew by about 33,000, as there was also a natural increase, defined as births minus deaths, of roughly 1,000 people in 2025.

Littler comments

There is already a widespread shortage of for example carpenters and electricians in Denmark. This challenge will only grow in the coming years because fewer young people are completing skilled training programs than older generations. Additionally, the number of 25- to 49-year-olds in Eastern European countries, from which Denmark and other countries have recruited many workers over the past 20 years, will decline by 20–25 percent over the next 15 years.

Demographic trends in Denmark and Europe could have a significant impact on securing the necessary workforce and, consequently, on the operation and development of businesses in the coming years. Companies that do not prepare for these demographic changes will be particularly affected.

If you need advice on international employees, including the new certification scheme, or on how to include seniors in your workforce, please contact us here.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to replace legal advice.