Ministry of Finance Circular No. 1/2024: Mandatory Retirement Age Enforcement

The Ministry of Finance has issued a circular mandating strict enforcement of existing mandatory retirement ages across all public and private sector employers. Employees must be notified three months before reaching retirement age (65 for men, 60 for women and hazardous occupation workers), with entities required by law to issue formal retirement decisions obligated to submit employee lists three months in advance. The circular emphasizes that retirement occurs automatically by operation of law and continuation of employment beyond prescribed ages carries legal consequences.

Foreign companies employing staff in Libya must immediately audit their workforce for compliance with mandatory retirement ages and establish systematic notification procedures. Non-compliance exposes employers to legal liability, though the circular does not specify penalties. This affects workforce planning, particularly for companies with aging Libyan national employees or those in sectors with lower retirement thresholds (such as hazardous industries). Companies should verify whether they fall under entities requiring formal ministerial retirement decisions.