Finding employment as an older Australian before reaching pension age is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge — and for many, it’s a frustrating and exhausting journey. But here’s where it gets controversial: age might be the silent barrier that blocks countless capable candidates from securing the jobs they desperately need.
Take Kerry Forrest, for example. At 65 years old, Kerry isn’t just looking for a job — she needs one to maintain her financial independence. Yet, over the past three years of relentless job hunting in her hometown of Burnie, Tasmania, she has faced rejection after rejection. "Every phone call or email telling me 'no' feels like a blow, chipping away at my confidence," she shares candidly. Kerry is a trained library technician and has applied for a variety of roles, but she firmly believes her age is the main hurdle. "I’ve never had trouble finding work before, but now that I’m 65, everything has changed."
Currently, Kerry works irregular shifts as a casual security guard and has recently started casual training for a government role. Yet this isn’t the permanent role she craves. "It’s a beginning, and it’s helped a little with my confidence," she admits. Financial hardships have weighed heavily over the last few years. To keep afloat, she tapped into her superannuation savings to pay off her unit’s mortgage and is now reliant on drawing down on that same mortgage. When work is scarce, she sometimes receives JobSeeker payments. However, the government’s mutual obligation rules — requiring her to apply for a fixed number of jobs each month — prove difficult in a small town with limited openings. For instance, in June, she applied for only two suitable roles and was reprimanded, with threats to her payments. "It felt like being treated like a child," she recalls.
Kerry is hopeful that things will improve so she can stabilize her finances. She passionately advocates for employers to value older workers more. "We bring decades of life experience, reliability, and a strong work ethic to the table. We may be ‘old-school,’ but that’s a strength, not a weakness."
The data backs her up. Over the last three years, unemployment among Australians aged 55 to 64 has edged upward—from 2.7% in mid-2022 to 3.1% by mid-2025. Ben Farr-Wharton, a professor specializing in workforce strategy at Edith Cowan University, observes this as part of a rising trend. While unemployment has increased across all age groups, older adults face longer job searches and tougher reintegration into the workforce. A recent report by Jobs and Skills Australia reveals that mature-age workers remained unemployed an average of 86 weeks in June 2024, more than twice as long as younger job seekers, who averaged 37 weeks.
To ease financial strain, people over 55 who’ve been on JobSeeker payments for nine months receive an additional $55 every two weeks. But economic realities mean many Australians must work longer than previous generations imagined. This reality is driven by factors such as inadequate superannuation savings, soaring living expenses, and the Australian government’s decision to raise the pension age from 65 to 67.
Age Discrimination Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald highlights the shift: "Many workers who would have retired in their late 50s or early 60s now need to stay actively engaged in the workforce." But here's the part most people miss: nearly a quarter of HR professionals today consider workers aged 51 to 55 as "older," compared to just 10% two years ago. That shift in perception can shape hiring decisions profoundly.
Professor Farr-Wharton points to a widespread stereotype: "Older workers are often unfairly viewed as less capable or less adaptable to technology, making them appear ‘disposable’ compared to younger employees."
This bias hits older women especially hard. Associate Professor Foula Kopanidis from RMIT University notes that interruptions in women’s careers—often due to caregiving responsibilities—lead to lower superannuation and savings. That creates an urgent need for re-employment, yet older women face heightened risks of long-term joblessness.
Adding to the challenge, the rise of Artificial Intelligence has intensified assumptions that older workers can’t keep pace with new technologies. Commissioner Fitzgerald challenges this stereotype: "It’s simply not true. Older workers can be just as productive and can learn and adapt to new tools and systems."
Looking ahead, the future workforce must be inclusive if Australia hopes to ease ongoing labor shortages and manage an aging population. Fitzgerald stresses the urgency: "We need to expand our labor pool, and integrating older workers is vital."
Jobs and Skills Australia identifies that a third of all job roles currently face shortages, including critical fields like aged care, electricians, childcare workers, doctors, and chefs—some of which have suffered understaffing for over four years.
"The real obstacle isn’t a lack of willing workers but employer attitudes," Fitzgerald says bluntly. "We must shift to genuinely appreciating the value older workers bring."
Australia could learn from New Zealand’s approach, which avoids penalizing pensioners who continue working. In New Zealand, older workers keep their pensions intact, paying only income tax on their earnings. In contrast, Australian pensioners lose half their pension dollars for every dollar earned beyond $227 per week, a disincentive to stay in paid employment.
Ben Farr-Wharton believes adopting a New Zealand-style policy here could foster a more diverse, multi-generational workforce. "Imagine workplaces where people of all ages collaborate and contribute meaningfully," he says.
A spokesperson from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations affirms the government’s commitment to supporting mature-age workers through the right training, services, and opportunities. "More Australian businesses are appreciating workplace diversity every day, and legal protections against age discrimination provide an important safety net."
Now, here’s the question for you: Do you think Australia’s workforce is ready to fully embrace older workers, or are outdated stereotypes still holding back real progress? Could more inclusive policies unlock untapped talent, or do the challenges run deeper? Share your thoughts below — this debate is only just beginning.
