Revision of Age Limits for Entry into the Civil Service

The Pay Research Bureau (PRB), in its 2026 report, dedicates a section to the entry conditions for the civil service, particularly addressing the age limit, which has been identified as a barrier to the recruitment of certain qualified profiles. It proposes raising the age limit from 40 to 45 years and even to 50 years for specific responsibilities.

Previously, the age limit for entering the civil service was set at 40 years, while the limit for employees in the Workmen’s Group was 48 years. However, according to the report, the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms indicated in its Circular Letter No. 46 of 2022 that the current age requirement has hindered the recruitment of qualified candidates over 40 years old for certain positions that require specific qualifications, which can only be obtained after several years of study and professional post-qualification experience.

The PRB emphasizes that this situation has limited the administration's access to specialized and experienced profiles. The report clarifies that the revision of the age limit aims to "not deprive the public sector of the services of high-caliber and experienced professionals."

In this context, the Bureau makes a series of recommendations. It is first proposed that "the minimum age for entry into the civil service be set at 18 years, unless otherwise specified in the Scheme of Service."

Regarding the maximum age limit, the PRB recommends a differentiated approach based on the categories of positions. It is suggested that "the age limit for entering the civil service should be 50 years for positions requiring a postgraduate degree accompanied by several years of post-qualification experience as a primary qualification."

For other grades, "the age limit should be set at 45 years, except for the Workmen’s Group." Finally, for this last category, "the recommended age limit remains at 48 years."

These recommendations align with the need to adapt recruitment rules to the realities of professional pathways and qualification requirements in the public sector.