You’ve found the perfect candidate—smart, experienced, qualified, and they happen to live in Stockholm. Everything clicks. But when you’re about to make the offer, someone asks: “What are the standard working hours there?” Suddenly, you’re stuck.
Because it turns out, a 40-hour workweek doesn’t mean the same thing everywhere. In France, 35 hours is the legal norm. South Korea is famous (infamous?) for long hours despite recent reforms. In Germany, it’s about focus—not face time.
These aren’t just numbers. They’re reflections of culture, history, and how societies balance life and labor. And getting it wrong isn’t just awkward; it’s expensive. If you lowball paid time off in Denmark, you look clueless. If you push 50-hour weeks in the Netherlands, you might be violating labor law.
Understanding working hour norms isn’t a footnote. It’s part of building trust, setting fair expectations, and hiring globally without stepping on a cultural landmine.
What counts as “average” working hours?
Average working hours usually means the standard full-time week that people actually work. This may sound simple until you realize that what gets measured varies wildly from country to country. Some nations track contracted hours, others focus on actual time worked, and a few count everything, including that coffee break conversation about quarterly projections.
There are nuances to anticipating the gap in average working hours by country. Germany’s legal maximum might be 48 hours per week, but its actual average hovers around 35 hours.
Meanwhile, countries like Mexico have reasonable legal limits on paper but cultural expectations that push people far beyond those boundaries. The law sets the ceiling, but workplace culture, economic pressures, and individual choice determine where people actually land.
Different countries have completely different philosophies about work structure. Nordic countries have embraced shorter standard workweeks as a competitive advantage for attracting talent.
Asian economies often prioritize long hours as a sign of dedication and economic ambition. Others, like the Netherlands, have built an entire labor market around part-time flexibility that somehow still delivers full productivity.
Average working hours by country (2025)
According to the International Labour Organization, “Adequate working time is a crucial part of decent work. It represents a key element of working conditions and has a great impact on workers’ income, well-being, and living conditions.”
The ILO provides statistics on working time by country; however, the data is only updated for the latest year available. So, for some countries, the figures may or may not be relevant depending on the year.
Below, we’ve compiled the most recent figures across major hiring markets, revealing the rhythm of a typical full-time week, the legal ceiling, and the cultural currents that push those numbers up or down.
United States
A “full-time” role still orbits 40 hours, yet recent data shows the average worker clocks about 34 hours. There’s no federal cap; the Fair Labor Standards Act simply requires overtime pay beyond 40 hours. Knowledge jobs lean Monday–Friday, while many hourly roles compress hours into four 10-hour shifts.
Canada
Most provinces tag 40 hours as standard, but surveys and online discussions indicate full-time loads nearer 37.5. Overtime starts after eight hours a day or 40 hours a week; Ontario permits written agreements up to 48. Québec’s 37-hour norm feels short beside Alberta’s resource-sector 40-hour standard.
Netherlands
Surveys place Dutch employees at about 32 average weekly hours, which is the shortest in the EU. Legal full-time contracts, however, still range between 36 and 40 hours. Employers may not schedule more than 12 hours in a single day or 60 in a single week, and the four-week average must stay below 55.
United Kingdom
Working Time Regulations cap the maximum at 48 hours over 17 weeks, though employees may opt out. In reality, the median full-timer logs 36–37 hours across a Monday–Friday pattern. Four-day compressed weeks are becoming more common in tech and consulting.
Germany
Statute allows 48 hours averaged over six months, but union agreements in the metal and auto industries have reduced many contracts to 35 hours. The national average for all workers sits in the mid-30s. Efficiency trumps face time; mandatory breaks cut marathon desk sessions.
France
The 35-hour week is the law. Anything past that earns overtime, and the daily cap sits at 10 hours with a 44-hour weekly ceiling. “Right to disconnect” rules fortify work-life balance, making after-hours email a compliance issue.
Sweden
The legal full-time week is 40 hours, though Statistics Sweden records actual averages hovering near 33 hours thanks to widespread part-time arrangements. Collective agreements set generous overtime premiums and enable trial four-day weeks in tech hubs.
Brazil
Federal law sets a 44-hour work week, typically split into five full days plus a half-day Saturday. Up to two daily overtime hours are allowed, capping the week at 60. Weekday overtime pays 15%; Sundays and holidays command double time.
Mexico
Labor law still permits 48 hours, but enterprise averages hover around 45. A pending reform aims to cut the legal limit to 40. Saturday shifts remain common in manufacturing, and overtime beyond 48 hours earns double pay (triple on the seventh consecutive day).
India
As one of the hardest-working countries across the globe, employees average about 47 hours, just shy of the 48-hour ceiling set by most state statutes. Policymakers debate a four-day, 12-hour option that keeps weekly totals intact while promising longer weekends. Over half the labor force still exceeds 49 hours.
China
Official guidelines cap the standard week at 44 hours with mandatory overtime premiums thereafter, yet National Bureau of Statistics data place the urban average near 49 hours. The tech-sector “996” schedule (9 a.m.–9 p.m., six days) persists, though courts now push back on excessive hours.
Japan
Law draws a firm 40-hour boundary; any extension requires a “36 Agreement” with labor reps. Reforms since 2019 limit overtime to 45 hours a month in most periods. The actual average weekly working hours vary by gender, with data indicating 46.7 hours for males and 36.3 hours for females.
South Korea
A 2018 overhaul capped regular time at 40 hours and total time at 52 hours (12 hours of overtime). Government data show averages sliding to the low 40s. A 2024 proposal to stretch weekly limits to 69 hours sparked public backlash and was shelved.
Australia
The National Employment Standard pegs ordinary time at 38 hours; “reasonable” overtime must be mutually agreed. Surveys keep the typical week close to that figure. Many awards bundle flexible time into a rostered day off every four weeks.
United Arab Emirates
Private-sector staff typically work the legal maximum of 48 hours, while public-sector employees shifted to 40 hours with the 2022 Monday–Friday workweek. Federal law shortens the day during Ramadan and mandates overtime premiums of 125% (day) or 150% (night/rest day).
Italy
European Working Time rules place a 48-hour ceiling, yet collective bargaining often trims contractual hours to 38–39. Many offices close early on Friday, honoring the longstanding weekend exodus tradition.
South Africa
Statute allows 45 regular hours, with overtime limited to three hours a day or 10 a week. Typical full-time contracts run 40 to 43 hours. Retail and service roles may add a half-day Saturday, and the law guarantees 12 consecutive hours of daily rest.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi labor law caps the standard work week at 48 hours, split into eight-hour days, but Ramadan reduces that limit to 36 hours for Muslim staff. Overtime past the daily or weekly ceiling earns 150% pay, and the workweek runs Sunday through Thursday.
Trends and observations by region
Across continents, each region tells a different story. Laws, culture, and industry shape the number of hours people work.
Europe
In Europe, flexible and reduced-hour arrangements have hit the mainstream. Hybrid schedules, trial four-day weeks, and strong union advocacy are pushing work-life balance from policy to daily practice. Overtime and paid leave are rigorously protected, and many businesses now compete on both productivity and quality of life.
Asia
Across Asia, change is happening faster than many headlines suggest. While some sectors still prize long hours and “face time,” new labor laws in places like South Korea and Japan are actively lowering maximum workweeks. Tech firms in China and India experiment with shift rotations or remote options, quietly testing new ways to keep talent energized.
North America
North America remains diverse, with major differences between Canada’s regulated hours and the flexibility (sometimes chaos) found in many U.S. workplaces. Though the 40-hour standard endures, young companies and remote teams are evolving towards custom arrangements, like split shifts or compressed schedules.
Latin America
Latin America is seeing a push for shorter legal caps, but enforcement varies. Worker protections are strong on paper with generous overtime and rest-day premiums, but actual practice depends on economic conditions and industry. Change is being driven by social movements, not just government reform.
Middle East
In the Middle East, weekend shifts and religious observances continue to shape time on the clock. The move toward a Monday–Friday week in the UAE is just one sign that international standards are gaining traction, and reforms to reduce total hours or expand worker protections are gathering pace.
Across all regions, one trend stands out: employees and employers are questioning old ideas about work. The pace of reform is accelerating, and the definition of a “normal” week is more fluid than ever. Global teams that recognize these shifts can turn flexibility into a real competitive edge.
Key considerations for global employers
Hiring across borders multiplies the rules. Use these checkpoints to keep teams safe and engaged.
- Local compliance comes first. Confirm weekly caps, overtime multipliers, rest breaks, and any required permits before you hit “send” on an offer.
- Do not export a U.S. 40-hour template to every office. Set job descriptions to the local baseline and document any extra hours clearly.
- Respect cultural habits around after-hours messages. Silence the Slack queue when the law or local custom treats evening time as private.
- Plan for regional holiday calendars and paid leave quotas. Build buffers so launches do not slip when half the team heads out for Golden Week or Diwali.
- Use objective data to shape fair, location-based policies. A single playbook works only when you bolt on local annexes that spell out exceptions.
- Track legal changes in real time. Caps can drop overnight, as seen in South Korea, Mexico, and France.
- Invest in simple tools for tracking hours, breaks, and fatigue flags. Transparent records protect both the employee and the company during audits.
- Align compensation with actual hours. A higher base pay in a 35-hour market can balance output against a lower rate tied to a 48-hour week.
- Support health and well-being programs that cross time zones. Encourage daylight breaks and mandate quiet windows so global work does not become round-the-clock work.
Pebl’s path to global workforce planning
When building a global team, it’s exciting—until you hit the part where you have to understand labor laws in countries you couldn’t place on a map. What counts as full-time? What’s considered overtime? When exactly is “the weekend”?
Pebl knows these things. Our Employer of Record (EOR) services help companies stay compliant with local labor laws and working time rules—so your contracts, hours, and policies actually make sense in the places your people live. We also help you support flexible, remote teams. We make sure your meetings don’t land at 3 a.m. for someone, and your work culture doesn’t revolve around just one time zone.
Global teams only work when they work for everyone. Pebl helps you get there. Find out how.
This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or tax advice and is for general informational purposes only. The intent of this document is solely to provide general and preliminary information for private use. Do not rely on it as an alternative to legal, financial, taxation, or accountancy advice from an appropriately qualified professional. The content in this guide is provided “as is,” and no representations are made that the content is error-free.
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