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The service allows workers who can claim 12 months of paid contributions prior to the 19th year of age (early workers) to claim an early retirement pension, provided they have paid contributions for 41 years by 31 December 2026, 41 years and 1 month by 31 December 2027, and 41 years and 3 months by 31 December 2028.
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Publication: 12 December 2022 Latest update: 16 July 2026
What is it?
The pension for early workers is an economic benefit disbursed, following a claim, to workers who can claim 12 months of paid contributions prior to the 19th year of age (early workers), who meet certain conditions indicated by law and have paid contributions for the following periods:
- 41 years by 2026 (by 2028 for workers engaged in arduous working activities);
- 41 years and 1 month by 2027 (unemployed workers, caregivers or persons with invalidity greater than or equal to 74%);
- 41 years and 3 months by 2028 (unemployed workers, caregivers or persons with invalidity greater than or equal to 74%).
Who is it aimed at?
Workers enrolled in the Compulsory General Insurance (AGO), in the substitute or exclusive forms of the same, who have contributory seniority as at 31 December 1995, who can claim 12 months of paid contributions prior to the 19th year of age and who are in one of the following conditions:
- state of unemployment following termination of the employment relationship due to dismissal, including collective dismissal, resignation for just cause or termination by mutual consent in the context of the procedure referred to in Article 7 of Law no. 604 of 15 July 1966, and full termination of the unemployment benefit for at least three months;
- are supporting, at the time of the request and for at least six months, the spouse or a first-degree relative living with them with a severe invalidity, pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 3, Law no. 104 of 5 February 1992, or a relative or a second-degree relative by marriage living with them if the parents or spouse of the person with a severe invalidity have reached 70 years of age or are suffering from disabling diseases or have died or are absent;
- invalidity greater than or equal to 74% ascertained by the competent medical commissions for recognition of civilian invalidity;
- have carried out particularly strenuous work pursuant to Legislative Decree No. 67 of 21 April 2011 (namely, the arduous work referred to in the Decree of the Minister of Labour and Social Security of 19 May 1999, including work performed by assembly line workers, night workers, and drivers of vehicles with a seating capacity of no fewer than nine passengers used for collective transport); or fall within one of the categories of employees listed below and have carried out so-called arduous work for at least seven of the last ten years of employment or for at least six of the last seven years of employment:
- workers in mining, construction and building maintenance sectors;
- crane or mobile machinery operation for drilling in the construction sector;
- leather and fur tanning;
- train drivers and on board personnel;
- heavy equipment and truck drivers;
- nursing and hospital midwifery staff working on shifts;
- personal assistance workers of people unable to support themselves;
- kindergarten and nursery teachers;
- porter work, freight forwarding employees and similar;
- unqualified cleaning services personnel;
- street sweepers and other employees who work in waste collection and separation;
- workers in the agricultural, livestock and fishing sectors;
- coastal, inland or offshore fishermen, employees or members of cooperatives;
- workers in the first and second smelting in the steel and glass work industries, working at high temperatures not already covered by Legislative Decree no. 67/2011;
- seafarers and crew members on board marine and inland waterway transport means.
The contribution requirement may be fulfilled, following a claim by the interested party, also by combining insurance periods in accordance with Law no. 228 of 24 December 2012.
How does it work?
HOW TO ACCESS THE BENEFIT
To access the benefit of the reduction in the contribution requirement for early workers, it is necessary to submit a claim for granting of the benefit by 31 March, 15 July and no later by 30 November of each year and only in the event of a positive outcome, also following verification of the related financial coverage, to submit the claim for early pension.
START DATE OF PENSION
Workers who fulfil the prescribed requirements as of 1 January 2019 shall be entitled to pension benefits commencing three months after their fulfilment, in accordance with the provisions of the relevant organisations.
Workers who fulfil the prescribed requirements from 1 January 2019, even by combining insurance periods in accordance with Law no. 228/2012, shall be entitled to pension benefits commencing from the first day of the month following the start of the relevant window.
In addition, pursuant to Article 1, paragraph 163, of the 2024 Budget Law, for subjects enrolled in the exclusive AGO scheme, whose pension is paid by the Cassa per le Pensioni dei Dipendenti Enti Locali (CPDEL), the Cassa per le Pensioni dei Sanitari (CPS), the Cassa per le Pensioni agli Insegnanti di asilo e di scuole elementari parificate (CPI) and the Cassa per le Pensioni degli Ufficiali Giudiziari (CPUG), the pension benefit in question takes effect:
- three months from the date on which the contribution requirements are met if they have been met by 31 December 2024;
- four months from the date on which the same requirements are met if they have been met by 31 December 2025;
- five months from the date on which the same requirements are met if they have been met by 31 December 2026;
- seven months from the date on which the same requirements are met if they have been met by 31 December 2027;
- nine months from the date on which the same requirements are met if they have been met starting from 1 January 2028.
The new starting dates do not apply to the early retirement pension with the cumulation of insurance periods.
NON-CUMULABILITY AND INCOMPATIBILITY
Early pension with reduced requirement for early workers, as of its effective date, cannot be combined with income from employment or self-employment generated in Italy or abroad for the period that is early with respect to the requirements in force for the majority of workers.
The benefit of the reduction in the minimum contribution requirement for early pension for early workers cannot be combined with other supplements foreseen for carrying out the same work activities. Instead, it can be combined with the so-called status increases referred to in Article 80, paragraph 3 of Law no. 388 of 23 December 2000.
Claim
HOW CAN I CLAIM?
The claim must be submitted online to INPS through the dedicated service.
Alternatively, claims can be submitted by:
- telephoning the Contact Centre on +39 803 164 (free from Italian landlines) or on +39 06 164 164 from mobile phones;
- On-line services offered by patronage institutes and intermediaries thereof.
Processing Times of the Measure
The ordinary time limit for issuing measures is set by Law No. 241/1990 at 30 days. In some cases the law may set different deadlines.
The table (in Italian) shows the deadlines exceeding 30 days, established by the Institute by means of Regulations.
In addition to the deadlines for issuing the measure, the table (in Italian) also indicates the person responsible for it.