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Population aging and the labor market : the case of Sri Lanka

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  • Vodopivec, Milan
  • Arunatilake, Nisha

Abstract

Sri Lanka's population is predicted to age vary fast during the next 50 years, bringing a slowdown of labor force growth and after 2030its contraction. Based on a 2006 representative survey of old people in Sri Lanka, the paper examines labor market consequences of this process, focusing on retirement pathways and the determinants of labor market withdrawal. The paper finds that a vast majority of Sri Lankan old workers are engaged in the informal sector, work long hours, and are paid less than younger workers. Moreover, the paper shows that labor market duality carries over to old age: (i) previous employment is the most important predictor of the retirement pathway; (ii) older workers fall into two categories: civil servants and formal private sector workers, who generally stop working before they reach 60 because they are forced to do so by mandatory retirement regulations, and casual workers and the self-employed, who work until very old age (or death) due to poverty and insufficient income and who stop working primarily because of poor health; and (iii) the option of part-time work is used primarily by workers who held regular jobs in their prime age employment, but not by casual workers and self-employed.

Suggested Citation

  • Vodopivec, Milan & Arunatilake, Nisha, 2008. "Population aging and the labor market : the case of Sri Lanka," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 44927, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:hdnspu:44927
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vodopivec, Milan & Tong, Minna Hahn, 2008. "China : improving unemployment insurance," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 44779, The World Bank.
    2. Rafael Rofman & Leonardo Lucchetti & Guzmán Ourens, 2010. "Pension Systems in Latin America: Concepts and Measurements of Coverage," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 0510, Department of Economics - dECON.
    3. Peracchi, Franco & Perotti, Valeria & Scarpetta, Stefano, 2007. "Informality and social protection : preliminary results from pilot surveys in Bulgaria and Colombia," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 41541, The World Bank.
    4. Amin, Mohammad, 2009. "Labor regulation and employment in India's retail stores," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 47-61, March.
    5. palacios, Robert & Whitehouse, Edward, 2006. "Civil-service pension schemes around the world," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 90340, The World Bank.
    6. Gordon Betcherman & Niels-Hugo Blunch, 2008. "The limited job prospects of displaced workers: evidence from two cities in China," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 187-207, September.
    7. Milan Vodopivec & Primoz Dolenc:, 2008. "Live Longer, Work Longer: Making It Happen in the Labor Market," Financial Theory and Practice, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 32(1), pages 65-81.
    8. Almeida, Rita & Carneiro, Pedro, 2009. "Enforcement of labor regulation and firm size," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 28-46, March.
    9. Braithwaite , Jeanine & Mont , Daniel, 2008. "Disability and poverty : a survey of World Bank poverty assessments and implications," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 42754, The World Bank.
    10. Macours, Karen & Vakis, Renos, 2010. "Seasonal Migration and Early Childhood Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 857-869, June.
    11. Barrett , Christopher B & Carter , Michael R & Ikegami , Munenobu, 2008. "Poverty traps and social protection," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 42752, The World Bank.
    12. Vodopivec, Milan & Arunatilake, Nisha, 2008. "The Impact of Population Aging on the Labor Market: The Case of Sri Lanka," IZA Discussion Papers 3456, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Almeida, Rita & Carneiro, Pedro, 2009. "The return to firm investments in human capital," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 97-106, January.
    2. Milan Vodopivec, 2013. "Introducing unemployment insurance to developing countries," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 2(1), pages 1-23, December.
    3. Forteza, Alvaro, 2008. "The portability of pension rights : general principals and the Caribbean case," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 46188, The World Bank.
    4. Kuddo, Arvo, 2009. "Structural educational reform : evidence from a teacher's displacement program in Armenia," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 47164, The World Bank.
    5. Milan Vodopivec & Lilijana Madjar & Primoz Dolenc, 2009. "Non-performance of the Severance Pay Program in Slovenia," Financial Theory and Practice, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 33(1), pages 89-102.
    6. Woolford, Geoff, 2009. "Social protection for migrants from the Pacific Islands in Australia and New Zealand," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 49174, The World Bank.
    7. Chae, ChangKyun & Chung, Jaeho, 2009. "Pre-employment vocational education and training in Korea," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 52186, The World Bank.
    8. Ajantha, Sisira Kumara & Tharaka, Sameera Senanayaka, 2012. "The Employment Status of the Elderly in Sri Lanka: Patterns and Determinants," MPRA Paper 42977, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 30 Nov 2012.
    9. Makhema, Mpho, 2009. "Social protection for refugees and asylum seekers in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 49168, The World Bank.
    10. Avato, Johanna & Koettl, Johannes & Sabates-Wheeler, Rachel, 2009. "Definitions, good practices, and global estimates on the status of social protection for international migrants," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 49172, The World Bank.
    11. Holzmann, Robert, 2010. "Bringing financial literacy and education to low and middle income countries : the need to review, adjust, and extend current wisdom," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 56501, The World Bank.
    12. Piggott, John & Sane, Renuka, 2009. "Indexing pensions," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 52445, The World Bank.
    13. Ferrer, Ana M. & Riddell, W. Craig, 2009. "Unemployment insurance savings accounts in Latin America : overview and assessment," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 49173, The World Bank.
    14. James, Estelle, 2009. "Rethinking survivor benefits," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 52919, The World Bank.
    15. Rofman, Rafael & Fajnzylber, Eduardo & Herrera, German, 2008. "Reforming the pension reforms : the recent initiatives and actions on pensions in Argentina and Chile," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 90346, The World Bank.
    16. Athula Ranasinghe & Sunimalee Madurawala & Jen Je Su & Thushara Senadeera, 2016. "An empirical investigation of labor shortage in the manufacturing sector in Sri Lanka," Discussion Papers in Economics economics:201605, Griffith University, Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics.
    17. Koettl, Johannes, 2009. "Human trafficking, modern day slavery, and economic exploitation," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 49802, The World Bank.
    18. Woo, Kye Lee, 2009. "Productivity increases in SMEs : with special emphasis on in-service training of workers in Korea," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 51251, The World Bank.
    19. Murrugarra, Edmundo, 2011. "Employability and productivity among older workers : apolicy framework and evidence from Latin America," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 63230, The World Bank.
    20. World Bank, 2008. "Sri Lanka : Addressing the Needs of an Aging Population," World Bank Publications - Reports 8105, The World Bank Group.
    21. Preeti Dhillon & Laishram Ladusingh, 2013. "Working life gain from gain in old age life expectancy in India," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(26), pages 733-762.
    22. Lord, Janet & Posarac, Aleksandra & Nicoli, Marco & Peffley, Karen & Mcclain-Nhlapo, Charlotte & Keogh, Mary, 2010. "Disability and international cooperation and development : a review of policies and practices," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 56092, The World Bank.
    23. Valdés-Prieto, Salvador, 2008. "A theory of contribution density and implications for pension design," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 90344, The World Bank.

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    15. Chae, ChangKyun & Chung, Jaeho, 2009. "Pre-employment vocational education and training in Korea," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 52186, The World Bank.
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