Costa Rica Pension Overhaul Could Require 30 Years of Work Instead of 25

The Tico Times reported that a proposed overhaul of Costa Rica's pension system could require 30 years of work instead of 25 to qualify for retirement, according to the headline of the story dated October 29, 2026. The original article could not be retrieved, so the specific mechanics of the proposal, including its legislative status, transition period, and any changes to contribution rates or benefit formulas, cannot be confirmed from the available material.

Supplemental search results offer background on the broader reform landscape but do not directly address the Costa Rican proposal under discussion. Publisher-context material on Costa Rica's pension system describes a previously enacted reform in which the total time required for retirement was set at twenty-five years and three hundred contributions, with changes effective 24 months after passage. Separate material indicates that Costa Rica's pension reforms went into effect on January 12, 2024. These references describe earlier measures and should not be read as the current proposal.

If adopted in the form suggested by the headline, a move from 25 to 30 years of required service would raise the bar for early or standard retirement eligibility, with implications for workers with interrupted careers and for the fiscal trajectory of the pension system. Further details should be confirmed against the original reporting.