New legal arrangements were made for insured workers who started before 1999, focusing on the number of premium days rather than age alone. With Law No. 4447, which took effect on 8 September 1999, new rules were introduced governing retirement requirements for employees. After the major Marmara earthquake in 1999, the country faced severe economic disruption that made fiscal and economic measures necessary. As a result, changes in social security law included new retirement provisions established by statute.
When will those insured before 1999 retire? This question became important for people in that group. Reforms in social security also revised retirement conditions. Before 1999 the retirement ages were effectively 38 for women and 43 for men under the existing regulations. As conditions tightened, retirement ages and required premium days increased gradually. Under the phased increases, the retirement age will reach 65 on 1 January 2048.
Which start-date periods are important for insured workers?
Three main periods affect retirement conditions. The start date of employment determines which of these intervals applies when answering “when will I be able to retire?” The relevant employment start-date ranges are:
- Insured before 8 September 1999
- Insured between 8 September 1999 and 30 April 2008
- Insured after 30 April 2008
Retirement calculations differ depending on which date range applies; each range has its own rules and thresholds.
What are the general requirements for retirement?
In general, eligibility for retirement requires being insured and having worked the required insured period. The insurance start date is the key factor affecting retirement. Laws set different requirements by gender, requiring completion of a specified number of premium days and reaching the statutory retirement age.
Both the required premium days and the retirement age must be met. Those who complete the necessary premium days must still wait until they reach the required age to retire. Under the transitional rules for those who began before 1999, phased retirement rights were granted according to the employment start date. Examples of retirement ages under these rules include:
- Women insured between 1999 and 2008: retirement age 58, with 25 years of insurance and at least 4,500 premium days.
- Men insured between 1999 and 2008: retirement age 60, with 25 years of insurance and at least 4,500 premium days.
For those who began work before 8 September 1999 and who worked as SSK-insured for at least 3.5 of the 7 years following a BAĞ-KUR or civil servant period:
- Female workers qualify for phased retirement between ages 50 and 58 with 15 years and 3,600 premium days.
- Male workers qualify for phased retirement between ages 55 and 60 with 15 years and 3,600 premium days.
Those who entered SGK employment before 8 September 1976:
- Women retire at age 50 with 3,600 premium days.
- Men retire at age 55 with 3,600 premium days.
Retirement rules for those who started after 2008
The Social Security Institution tightened retirement conditions in the law that took effect in 2008. Employees whose insurance began on or after 1 May 2008 face stricter requirements. For those who started after 1 May 2008, eligibility is as follows:
- Women must complete 7,200 premium days by 31 December 2035. After completing the required days, women can retire once they reach age 58.
- Men must complete 7,200 premium days by 31 December 2035. After completing the required days, men can retire once they reach age 60.
If workers do not complete 7,200 days by the specified date, their retirement age will be higher. For example, women who complete their premiums by 2041 could retire at 61, while men who complete them by 2041 could retire at 63.
Who benefits from the 3,600-day retirement rule?
To benefit from retirement under the 3,600-day rule, the first insurance start date must be before 8 September 1999. Those who began after that date are not eligible for retirement under the 3,600-day scheme.
Women who completed 3,600 premium days and 15 years of insured work from their first insurance date qualify for retirement at ages that vary with the date when conditions were met:
- Those meeting conditions between 24 May 2002 and 23 May 2005: eligible at age 52.
- Between 24 May 2005 and 23 May 2008: eligible at age 54.
- Between 24 May 2008 and 23 May 2011: eligible at age 56.
- From 24 May 2011 onward: eligible at age 58.
Men with the same conditions have different retirement ages:
- Those meeting conditions between 24 May 2002 and 23 May 2005: eligible at age 56.
- Between 24 May 2011 and 23 May 2014: eligible at age 59.
- From 24 May 2014 onward: eligible at age 60.
What does “being held back by age” mean in retirement?
Using the e-Government (E-devlet) system and the “when will I retire” tool, insured people can see the year they qualify for retirement. Employees covered by 4A (social insurance), 4B (BAĞ-KUR) and 4C (pension fund) can check their retirement status online. If the system shows that the required workdays were completed before meeting the retirement age, that person is “held back by age.” In other words, even after they complete the minimum insured days, they must wait until they reach the statutory age to retire. The age requirement applies to both new entrants and earlier workers under the law.
Under the pre-1999 retirement rules, a woman whose first insurance started at age 18 could retire after 20 years at age 38, and a man after 25 years at age 43. The 1999 law raised the retirement age in the transition period and ultimately set retirement ages at 58 for women and 60 for men under the new framework. For example, a man born in 1970 who began working in 1990 would retire at age 52 because of the age requirement; without the age rule he would have qualified earlier, once he completed 25 insured years.
Retirement table for female insured workers
| FIRST INSURANCE ENTRY DATE | AGE | DAYS | PERIOD (Years) |
| Before 08.09.1981 | *** | 5000 | 20 |
| 09.09.1981 – 23.05.1984 | 40 | 5000 | 20 |
| 24.05.1984 – 23.05.1985 | 41 | 5000 | 20 |
| 24.05.1985 – 23.05.1986 | 42 | 5075 | 20 |
| 24.05.1986 – 23.05.1987 | 43 | 5150 | 20 |
| 24.05.1987 – 23.05.1988 | 44 | 5225 | 20 |
| 24.05.1988 – 23.05.1989 | 45 | 5300 | 20 |
| 24.05.1989 – 23.05.1990 | 46 | 5375 | 20 |
| 24.05.1990 – 23.05.1991 | 47 | 5450 | 20 |
| 24.05.1991 – 23.05.1992 | 48 | 5525 | 20 |
| 24.05.1992 – 23.05.1993 | 49 | 5600 | 20 |
| 24.05.1993 – 23.05.1994 | 50 | 5675 | 20 |
| 24.05.1994 – 23.05.1995 | 51 | 5750 | 20 |
| 24.05.1995 – 23.05.1996 | 52 | 5825 | 20 |
| 24.05.1996 – 23.05.1997 | 53 | 5900 | 20 |
| 24.05.1997 – 23.05.1998 | 54 | 5975 | 20 |
| 24.05.1998 – 23.05.1999 | 55 | 5975 | 20 |
| 24.05.1999 – 08.09.1999 | 56 | 5975 | 20 |
Retirement table for male insured workers
| FIRST INSURANCE ENTRY DATE | AGE | DAYS | PERIOD (Years) |
| Before 08.09.1976 | *** | 5000 | 25 |
| 09.09.1976 – 23.05.1979 | 44 | 5000 | 25 |
| 24.05.1979 – 23.11.1980 | 45 | 5000 | 25 |
| 24.11.1980 – 23.05.1982 | 46 | 5075 | 25 |
| 24.05.1982 – 23.11.1983 | 47 | 5150 | 25 |
| 24.11.1983 – 23.05.1985 | 48 | 5225 | 25 |
| 24.05.1985 – 23.11.1986 | 49 | 5300 | 25 |
| 24.11.1986 – 23.05.1988 | 50 | 5375 | 25 |
| 24.05.1988 – 23.11.1989 | 51 | 5450 | 25 |
| 24.11.1989 – 23.05.1991 | 52 | 5525 | 25 |
| 24.05.1991 – 23.11.1992 | 53 | 5600 | 25 |
| 24.11.1992 – 23.05.1994 | 54 | 5675 | 25 |
| 24.05.1994 – 23.11.1995 | 55 | 5750 | 25 |
| 24.11.1995 – 23.05.1997 | 56 | 5825 | 25 |
| 24.05.1997 – 23.11.1998 | 57 | 5900 | 25 |
| 24.11.1998 – 08.09.1999 | 58 | 5975 | 25 |
For example, a woman born on 01/01/1970 with a first insurance date of 01/06/1992 will be eligible for retirement if she turns 48 on 01/01/2018 and has completed 5,525 insured days.