List of countries by average annual labor hours explained

The average length of working time in different countries depends on a number of economic, social and societal factors. Another important factor is the extent to which part-time work is widespread, which is less common in developing countries. In 2017, the Southeast Asian state of Cambodia had the longest average working hours worldwide among 66 countries studied. Here, the working time per worker was around 2,456 hours per year, which is just under 47 hours per week. In Germany, on the other hand, it was just under 1,354 hours per year (26 per week and 3.7 per day), which was the lowest of all the countries studied.

In most countries, the weekly working hours are decreasing with increasing prosperity and higher productivity. In Germany, for example, the average weekly working time of a person not employed in agriculture and working full-time fell by almost 40 percent between 1870 and 2010. In developed countries, the average working time is therefore usually significantly shorter than in developing countries. However, there are exceptions. These include countries such as South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan which still have comparable long working hours despite high incomes.

Our World in Data list (2017)

The following list is the average annual working time per employed person (men and women) in hours in 2017. Data is not available for all countries of the world.[1]

Average annual labor hours per worker in 2017!Rank!Country!Working hours
12,455.55
22,437.86
32,255.00
42,238.27
52,255.73
62,232.35
72,212.38
82,209.09
92,185.58
102,185.45
112,174.35
122,169.59
132,148.56
142,117.01
152,096.14
162,063.33
172,040.03
182,028.50
192,024.29
202,016.90
211,997.75
221,990.32
231,974.00
241,974.00
251,937.33
261,932.46
271,923.94
281,920.61
291,874.60
301,863.17
311,856.68
321,844.02
331,834.93
341,832.00
351,827.24
361,806.00
371,783.52
381,776.16
391,765.00
401,752.00
411,745.68
421,745.23
431,738.36
441,731.49
451,722.61
461,709.49
471,701.36
481,696.46
491,691.54
501,686.50
511,670.27
521,659.28
531,655.09
541,643.55
551,613.05
561,609.29
571,589.68
581,552.35
591,544.27
601,518.86
611,514.14
621,493.37
631,430.02
641,417.47
651,400.38
661,353.89

OECD list

The following list is the average annual hours worked by participants in the labor force of the OECD member states.[2] As of 2022, Colombia, Mexico, and Costa Rica ranked the highest number of hours worked per year. Greece ranked the highest In EU with 1886 average hours per year, while Germany ranked the lowest with 1340 average hours worked respectively.[3] [4] Japan and Canada ranked lowest amongst non-European countries.

Average labor hours per worker in OECD countries!Code! Country !1950 !1960 !1970 !1980 !1990 !2000 !2005 !2010 !2015 !2020!2022
AUSAustralia ............1853185218081778175116831707
AUTAustria ...............167516321552149514001443
BELBelgium ......188317071663158915781574157514811525
BGRBulgaria ...............164016591645164416051618
CANCanada ......192518271797178717451715171216441686
CHLChile ............2422226321572070199418251962
COLColombia ........................2194...2405
CRICosta Rica ............2358236223522243214819132149
HRVCroatia ...............192219261942182718341810
CYPCyprus ...............192618471845182416981837
CZECzechia...............190018031799175117051754
DNKDenmark ......184515771441146614511422140713461371
ESTEstonia ...............188419131785176316541770
EU27European Union...............167816521632160715131570
FINFinland ...1967191817321671165016131585155515311498
FRAFrance 23512188199318061645155815321540151914021511
DEUGermany ...............146614321426140113321340
GRCGreece ............1976199820251931193517281886
HUNHungary .........23482082193218341766174616601699
ISLIceland ......195416881665169616371528151114351449
IRLIreland ......233521232081193318831721177117461657
ISRIsrael ............1904203319661957189517831891
ITAItaly ...............185018111777171815591694
JPNJapan ......224321212031182117751733171915981607
KORKorea, Republic of .....................2163208319081901
LVALatvia ...............172816661692166315771553
LTULithuania ...............163016591697167315951624
LUXLuxembourg ...............160215501517151414271473
MLTMalta ...............224621672136195518271881
MEXMexico ...............217421052150214021242226
NLDNetherlands ......180915561454146414341420142613991427
NZLNew Zealand ............1809183618151755175317391748
NORNorway ......183515801503145714061395139213691424
OECDOECD......196618931860182517931772176416871751
POLPoland ...............186918551831186217661814
PRTPortugal ......196318491806177017501746173216131635
ROURomania ...............185318771841178617951808
RUSRussian Federation ...............198219891976197818741874
SVKSlovakia ...............181617691805175415721622
SVNSlovenia ...............171016971680168715151619
ESPSpain .........19361763175317241706169415771643
SWESweden 18241718156513821423148614531484146614241440
CHESwitzerland...............171316901611157714951528
TURTurkey ......2086195718661937193618771811...1732
GBRUnited Kingdom ......177516191618155815441507152513671531
USAUnited States 19681952190718161833183217941772178317671810

See also

Notes and References

  1. Roser. Max. 2013-03-04. Working Hours. Our World in Data.
  2. Web site: Average annual hours actually worked per worker. stats.oecd.org. 2017-12-30. OECD.
  3. News: Who works the longest hours? - BBC News. BBC News . 21 May 2012 . 2015-07-15.
  4. Web site: Who works the longest hours in Europe?. the Guardian. 2015-07-15. Heather. Stewart. 8 December 2011 .

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