Average working hours by country: a guide to work schedules around the world

Average Working Hours Around the World

Working hours vary widely from country to country and even from one state or province to another within the same country. This guide covers average working hours by country, which countries work the most and least, and the labor-law frameworks that shape weekly hours in major economies.

Average working hours by country: the big picture

The most-cited cross-country comparison comes from the OECD’s annual data on hours worked per employed worker, which includes both full-time and part-time workers:

  • Highest average working hours per worker: Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, and Greece typically lead OECD rankings. Annual hours per worker run roughly 1,900 to 2,200 (around 36 to 42 hours per week averaged across all workers in the labor force).
  • Lowest average working hours per worker: Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and France typically rank lowest, with annual hours around 1,300 to 1,500 per worker (roughly 25 to 30 hours per week averaged across all workers). The low figures reflect very high part-time employment in these countries combined with generous statutory annual leave.
  • Middle of the pack: The United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea sit in the middle of the OECD range. The US averages roughly 1,800 hours per worker per year.

Important methodology note: the OECD’s per-worker averages include part-time workers. Countries with high part-time employment (Netherlands, Germany) appear low for that reason, even though full-time workers there put in normal full-time weeks. Full-time-only averages tell a different story. US full-time workers, for example, average 41 to 42 hours per week per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Working hours in the United States

In the US, full-time workers average around 41 to 42 hours per week according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The traditional “9 to 5” schedule still exists in many corporate offices, but flexible and nonstandard schedules have become more common since the recent shift toward remote and hybrid work.

Federal labor law caps the standard workweek at 40 hours before overtime kicks in (Fair Labor Standards Act). Workers in salaried “exempt” roles, including many corporate jobs, are not subject to the 40-hour overtime threshold and routinely work 45 to 55 hours per week. Some industries (finance, law, medicine, and tech startups) have well-documented cultures of 60-plus-hour weeks for senior staff. The US has no federal statutory paid vacation requirement, which contributes to higher annual hours than most other developed economies.

For teen workers, the FLSA sets the minimum working age at 14 with strict limits. Fourteen and 15 year-olds are capped at 40 hours per week and only 18 hours per week during the school year. Sixteen and 17 year-olds can work up to 48 hours per week. State labor laws may impose stricter limits than the federal floor.

Working hours in Mexico

Mexico ranks at or near the top of the OECD for average annual working hours per worker. Mexican federal labor law sets the standard workweek at 48 hours (8-hour days, six-day workweek). A reform aimed at moving Mexico toward a 40-hour workweek has been debated and is being phased in gradually. Statutory paid vacation is lower than most OECD countries, contributing to high annual hours per worker.

Working hours in Canada

Canadian working hours vary by province because labor law is provincially regulated. Most provinces follow a 40-hour standard workweek before overtime applies. Hours, overtime rules, and minimum wages differ across provinces, so a worker in Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec each operates under a slightly different framework. Statutory paid vacation runs from 2 weeks (federal minimum) up to 3 weeks in some provinces.

Working hours in Europe

European working hours vary widely. Per OECD data, Western European countries (France, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway) average among the lowest weekly hours in the developed world. Eastern European countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania) average longer weeks but still generally below US norms. The European Union’s Working Time Directive caps weekly hours at 48 averaged over 17 weeks, with some opt-out provisions.

France

France famously imposes a 35-hour standard workweek. The 35-hour cap applies to most hourly employees, but a separate “forfait jours” framework lets professional employees and managers work longer schedules in exchange for additional days off. In practice, French employees in finance, consulting, and tech routinely exceed 35 hours per week. France also guarantees 5 weeks of statutory annual leave, plus public holidays.

Germany

Germany ranks among the lowest in the OECD for average annual working hours per worker, partly due to a high share of part-time employment. The standard full-time workweek for most German workers is 35 to 40 hours, with strong union-negotiated agreements in many sectors. Statutory annual leave is 24 working days minimum, often more in collective agreements.

United Kingdom

UK working hours are governed by the Working Time Regulations, which cap average weekly hours at 48 over a 17-week reference period. Workers can opt out of the 48-hour cap individually. UK full-time workers typically average around 36 to 37 hours per week. Statutory paid leave is 28 days including public holidays.

Netherlands

The Netherlands ranks near the bottom of OECD for average annual working hours per worker, reflecting one of the highest part-time employment rates in the world. Roughly half of all Dutch workers are part-time. Full-time work in the Netherlands is typically 36 to 40 hours per week. The country has been a pioneer of compressed-week and four-day-week experimentation.

Eastern Europe

Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia generally have longer average workweeks than Western Europe. Standard workweeks are 40 hours, with overtime more commonly worked than in countries with stronger union representation or higher part-time rates. Annual hours per worker in Eastern Europe typically run 1,750 to 1,950, above the EU average but below Mexico or Costa Rica.

Working hours in Australia and New Zealand

Per OECD data, Australia caps weekly working hours at 38, with overtime allowance and reasonable additional hours permitted on top. Australian workplaces are known for flexible schedules. Australia’s emphasis on work-life balance is supported by a minimum four weeks of paid annual leave plus public holidays. New Zealand follows a similar 40-hour standard with growing four-day-workweek experimentation in some sectors.

Working hours in Asia

Japan

Japan has a notable culture of long working hours despite OECD per-worker averages that look moderate (lowered by widespread part-time work in the broader labor force). Government concern about karoshi (death from overwork) led to Japan’s Work Style Reform Law, which capped monthly overtime at 45 hours and annual overtime at 360 hours for most workers. Despite the reform, surveys show Japanese full-time employees still routinely work 50 to 60 hours per week.

South Korea

South Korea has historically had one of the longest workweeks in the OECD. The country reformed its labor laws to cap the workweek at 52 hours (40 standard plus 12 overtime). Korean work culture is gradually shifting toward more flexible schedules, but long hours remain common in conglomerate (chaebol) firms and the technology sector.

India and Pakistan

In India and Pakistan, working hours vary widely by industry. Banking sector employees often work long hours to meet daily targets. The IT outsourcing industry, serving Western clients, requires nighttime shifts (12 a.m. to 8 a.m. or 3 a.m. to 11 a.m.) to align with US business hours. India’s standard workweek under the Factories Act is 48 hours; some sectors and tech firms are adopting shorter weeks.

China

China’s official standard workweek is 40 hours, but the technology and manufacturing sectors are well-known for the “996” schedule (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, totaling 72 hours). Chinese courts have ruled 996 illegal in several cases, and major tech firms have officially abandoned it, though long hours remain common in practice.

Why working hours differ by country

Several factors drive country-by-country variation:

  • Labor law caps – some countries (France 35-hour cap, EU Working Time Directive 48-hour max average, South Korea 52-hour cap) impose statutory limits
  • Part-time employment rates – countries with high part-time rates (Netherlands, Germany) have lower per-worker averages even though full-time workers there put in normal full-time weeks
  • Statutory annual leave – European countries typically guarantee 4 to 6 weeks of paid leave; the US has no federal vacation requirement
  • Cultural norms – Japanese karoshi culture vs Northern European work-life balance norms produce very different real-world hours
  • Industry mix – countries with large agricultural or manufacturing sectors often have higher average hours than service-economy countries
  • Union coverage – countries with strong sectoral collective bargaining (Germany, France, Nordics) tend to have shorter and more regulated workweeks

Looking for hours of a specific U.S. business?

This article covers labor-market working hours, meaning the schedule a typical employee works. If you are looking for the operating hours of a specific U.S. store, restaurant, bank, or service, see our chain pages: Walmart hours, Target hours, Costco hours, USPS Post Office hours, Wells Fargo hours, or browse all 70-plus chain hours pages.

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