Which European country has the longest working hours?

Working in Germany | Working in France | Working in Europe

Germany is often associated with discipline and hard work, while France is better known for its work-life balance. But what is the reality? Discover the differences in working hours across Europe and around the world in 2026, and find out which factors influence working time.

1. The countries where people work the most and the least worldwide
2. Weekly working hours in European countries in 2026
3. Comparing working hours in Germany and France
4. Why are there such significant differences across Europe?

The countries where people work the most and the least worldwide

1. The countries where people work the most and the least worldwide

Annual working hours vary considerably around the world. Find out which countries rank at the top and bottom of the list, and how Germany and France compare.

The countries with the highest annual working hours worldwide in 2026

Mexico, Costa Rica and Chile are among the countries where people work particularly long hours each year. Economic pressures and, in some cases, limited social protection can contribute to these lengthy working hours.

Ranking	Country	Annual working hours
1	Mexico	2,226
2	Costa Rica	2,149
3	Chile	1,963
4	South Korea	1,901
5	Israel	1,892
6	Greece	1,886
7	Poland	1,815
8	United States	1,811
9	Estonia	1,770
10	Czechia	1,754

The countries with the lowest annual working hours worldwide in 2026

By contrast, Germany, Denmark and Luxembourg stand out for their comparatively low number of working hours. Possible explanations include high productivity, strong employee rights and a greater focus on work-life balance.

Ranking	Country	Annual working hours
1	Germany	1,349
2	Denmark	1,363
3	Luxembourg	1,382
4	Netherlands	1,417
5	Norway	1,427
6	Iceland	1,433
7	Austria	1,442
8	Sweden	1,444
9	France	1,490
10	Belgium	1,493
11	United Kingdom	1,500
12	Finland	1,518
13	Switzerland	1,533
14	Turkey	1,572
15	Slovakia	1,583

(Source: Global Health)

2. Weekly working hours in European countries in 2026

Usual weekly working hours vary considerably across Europe. On average, people in the Netherlands work the fewest hours per week, while Serbia ranks at the other end of the scale. The following table shows the figures for each country.

Ranking	Country	Working hours per week
1	Serbia	41.6
2	Greece	40.7
3	Romania	39.9
4	Poland	39.8
5	Bulgaria	39.8
6	Cyprus	39.5
7	Portugal	39.5
8	Croatia	39.4
9	Slovakia	39.3
10	Hungary	39.2
11	Slovenia	39.1
12	Malta	39.1
13	Lithuania	38.9
14	Czechia	38.8
15	Latvia	38.4
16	Luxembourg	37.5
17	Spain	37.5
18	Sweden	37.4
19	Estonia	37.2
20	Italy	37.2
21	France	36.8
22	EU average	36.7
23	Belgium	35.9
24	Austria	35.5
25	Finland	35.2
26	Switzerland	35.1
27	Norway	34.4
28	Germany	34.2
29	Denmark	33.2
30	Netherlands	31.1

Comparing working hours in Germany and France

3. Comparing working hours in Germany and France

There are significant differences in working hours between Germany and France, particularly between full-time and part-time employees. Although the average working week is shorter in Germany, the figures vary depending on the type of employment and the industry.

In Germany: Employees work an average of 34.2 hours per week. Part-time arrangements, flexible working hours and collective agreements providing for a 35-hour working week in some industries all contribute to this relatively low average.
In France: The average working week is 36.8 hours. The statutory 35-hour working week for full-time employees, introduced in 2000, remains an important benchmark. However, overtime and working-time reduction arrangements (RTT) also affect the number of hours actually worked.

Full-time and part-time work: differences between the two countries

A study by Dares on working hours in Europe highlights differences between full-time and part-time employees. Here are the figures for Germany and France:

Germany: 40.4 hours per week for full-time employees and 19.9 hours for part-time employees.
France: 39 hours per week for full-time employees and 23.7 hours for part-time employees.

📌 Key takeaway: Full-time employees in Germany work slightly longer hours on average than their counterparts in France. For part-time employees, the opposite is true: the average working week in France is almost four hours longer than in Germany.

4. Why are there such significant differences across Europe?

Working hours vary from one European country to another due to several factors, including legislation, economic conditions and cultural habits.

In both Germany and France, high productivity per working hour makes it possible to generate economic value in less time. The high proportion of part-time employees, particularly in Germany, also contributes to differences in average weekly working hours.

Public holidays in EU countries

The relatively high number of public holidays in France also has a direct impact on these figures. Germany, by contrast, is one of the EU countries with the fewest public holidays.

12 days: Malta, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Slovakia
11 days: Austria, Finland, Croatia
10 days: France, Czechia, Portugal, Spain, Lithuania, Greece, Slovenia, Latvia, Romania
9 days: Luxembourg, Sweden, Italy, Poland, Ireland
8 days: Denmark, Norway, Hungary, Estonia, Belgium, Netherlands
7 days: Germany

(Source: Statista)