This Tuesday, the Council of Ministers approved a Royal Decree that establishes coefficients that reduce the retirement age for forestry and environmental agents at the service of Public Administrations. The measure, proposed by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, recognizes the harshness and danger of a profession essential for the protection of the natural environment and responds to a historical demand from the group. In this way, the proposal is equalized so that forest firefighters could also benefit from the reduction coefficients that the Council of Ministers launched just a few weeks ago.
The rule will allow these workers to access early retirement by applying a reducing coefficient of 0.20 for each full year worked, as long as they prove at least 15 years of contributions in the profession. In no case may retirement be brought forward more than five years with respect to the ordinary age, or six if 37 years of effective contributions are proven.
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“With this measure we want to protect those who protect and care for us the most, as we have seen this very hard summer. Now, forestry agents, just as we did with forestry firefighters, will see their retirement conditions improved as a result of the hard work they do,” said Minister Elma Saiz, after the approval of the decree.
The text, which will come into force together with the General State Budgets of 2026, complies with the Third Additional Provision of Law 4/2024, basic for forestry and environmental agents. Furthermore, it establishes that the reduction period will be counted as contributions for the calculation of the pension, although without increasing its amount. An additional contribution is also planned, which will be established later by a standard with the force of law.
This will be how early retirement works for forestry agents
The early retirement of forestry agents will operate similar to that of forestry firefighters, which is governed by Royal Decree 383/2008, which sets the ordinary age at 65 years, but allows it to be reduced by 0.20 for each year worked, as long as at least 15 years of contributions in the profession are accredited.
These professionals can advance their retirement up to a maximum of 5 years, that is, retire at age 60. Exceptionally, those who can prove 35 or more years of effective contributions can do so at age 59.
The reduction time counts as contributions, although it does not increase the pension. For calculation purposes, all work absences are deducted except for sick leave, accidents or periods of maternity, paternity, adoption or risk during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
With this reform, the Government equals the social protection of forestry agents to that already enjoyed by forest firefighters, reinforcing the coverage of those who carry out jobs classified as arduous, toxic or dangerous, essential for the surveillance and custody of the country’s natural heritage.