What is the retirement age?

Under the model standing orders, it is the age agreed in writing, or set by a settlement or award order 16(1).
If no age is agreed, it is fifty-eight years order 16(2).

The model standing orders are for industrial establishments with three hundred or more workers (IR Code s. 28(1)), and your employer's certified standing orders may differ. Elsewhere, check your appointment letter, and see what applies at a smaller workplace.

The citations are to the service sector's model. These points read the same for manufacturing (order 15) and mining (order 16).

Last checked 1 Nov 2026 · written from the official text · not reviewed by a lawyer. This explains the law in general and does not decide your case.