This paper explores the relationship between active ageing and the ways of life of immigrant elders. In the first part of the paper the meaning of active ageing and the context of production of this notion is analysed. A distinction is made between active ageing as a normative notion and the sociological perspective that emphasises the study of realities as they are lived and perceived by the individuals themselves. In the second part of the paper, the life conditions of immigrant elders, their expectations about retirement and the ways they spend their everyday life during their old days in Switzerland are explored. The conclusion discusses their specific ways of being “active” after retirement with regard to the notion of active ageing.