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Date Published: 28/05/2026

Spain extends flexible retirement to self-employed workers for the first time

Retirees in Spain will now be allowed to return to work part-time as autónomos under the new rules

The Spanish government has approved a major change to pension rules this week that, for the first time, allows self-employed workers to return to work after retirement while still receiving part of their pension.

Until now, flexible retirement in Spain was mainly limited to salaried workers taking on part-time employment. The new reform extends that option to autónomos, marking a significant shift in how retirement can be structured in the country.

Under the new system, pensioners will be able to work again as self-employed workers while continuing to receive part of their pension, provided they have not been registered as autónomos in the three years before retiring.

“Our goal is to give workers more and better options when it comes to retirement or combining work and pension, and now we are proposing an improved flexible retirement option,” Social Security minister Elma Saiz said.

The ministry explained that retirees will be able to access flexible retirement at any time once their pension has been approved, with no waiting period required.

For self-employed workers, the new rules will allow them to receive up to 25% of their pension while working part-time. The measure is aimed particularly at professions where self-employment is common, such as consultancy, law and architecture.

The government says the change is designed to make retirement more flexible and realistic for people who do not want to fully stop working, especially those who build careers outside traditional employment contracts.

Changes have also been introduced for salaried workers combining pensions with part-time jobs. The ministry said working hours can now range between 33% and 80% of a full-time schedule, with pension payments adjusted depending on hours worked.

A new bonus system has also been added. The ministry explained that pensioners who take flexible retirement at least six months after retiring will receive an additional percentage of their pension, depending on how much they work.

The reform forms part of a wider pension agreement reached with unions and employers and is due to come into force in three months.

Image: Freepik

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