Working Hours by Country

The legal working week and working day, overtime pay, weekend days, normal office hours and minimum paid annual leave in 33 countries. Open a country for the exceptions, Ramadan hours and planned changes.

Your country

Africa

Country	Week	Day	Overtime	Weekend	Office hours	Paid leave
South Africa	45 hours	9 hours	1.5×	Sat–Sun	8am–5pm	15 days
Nigeria	40 hours	8 hours	Agreed	Sat–Sun	8am–5pm	6 days
Kenya	52 hours	Not set	1.5×	Sat–Sun	8am–5pm	21 days

Americas

Country	Week	Day	Overtime	Weekend	Office hours	Paid leave
United States	40 hours	No limit	1.5×	Sat–Sun	9am–5pm	0 days
Canada	40 hours	8 hours	1.5×	Sat–Sun	9am–5pm	10 days
Brazil	44 hours	8 hours	1.5×	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	30 days
Mexico	48 hours	8 hours	2×	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	12 days

Asia

Country	Week	Day	Overtime	Weekend	Office hours	Paid leave
Bangladesh	48 hours	8 hours	2×	Fri–Sat	9am–5pm	≈17 days
India	48 hours	8 hours	2×	Sat–Sun	9:30am–6pm	12–15 days
Pakistan	48 hours	9 hours	2×	Sat–Sun	9am–5pm	14 days
Japan	40 hours	8 hours	1.25×	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	10 days
South Korea	40 hours	8 hours	1.5×	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	15 days

Europe

Country	Week	Day	Overtime	Weekend	Office hours	Paid leave
United Kingdom	48 hours	No limit	Agreed	Sat–Sun	9am–5pm	28 days
Ireland	48 hours	No limit	Agreed	Sat–Sun	9am–5:30pm	20 days
Germany	48 hours	8 hours	Agreed	Sat–Sun	9am–5pm	20 days
France	35 hours	10 hours	1.25×	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	25 days
Spain	40 hours	9 hours	Agreed	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	22 days
Italy	40 hours	8 hours	Agreed	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	20 days
Netherlands	40 hours	12 hours	Agreed	Sat–Sun	9am–5pm	20 days
Belgium	38 hours	8 hours	1.5×	Sat–Sun	9am–5pm	20 days
Portugal	40 hours	8 hours	1.25×	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	22 days
Austria	40 hours	8 hours	1.5×	Sat–Sun	8am–5pm	25 days
Sweden	40 hours	No limit	Agreed	Sat–Sun	8am–5pm	25 days
Norway	40 hours	9 hours	1.4×	Sat–Sun	8am–4pm	4 wks 1 day
Denmark	37 hours	No limit	Agreed	Sat–Sun	8am–4pm	25 days
Finland	40 hours	8 hours	1.5×	Sat–Sun	8am–4pm	4–5 weeks
Poland	40 hours	8 hours	1.5–2×	Sat–Sun	8am–4pm	20 days
Turkey	45 hours	11 hours	1.5×	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	14 days

Middle East

Country	Week	Day	Overtime	Weekend	Office hours	Paid leave
Saudi Arabia	48 hours	8 hours	1.5×	Fri–Sat	8am–5pm	21 days
United Arab Emirates	48 hours	8 hours	1.25×	Sat–Sun	9am–6pm	30 days
Qatar	48 hours	8 hours	1.25×	Fri–Sat	7am–2pm	3 weeks

Oceania

Country	Week	Day	Overtime	Weekend	Office hours	Paid leave
Australia	38 hours	7.6 hours	1.5–2×	Sat–Sun	9am–5pm	20 days
New Zealand	40 hours	No limit	Agreed	Sat–Sun	8:30am–5pm	20 days

Checked 24 October 2026 against national labour laws, government sites and recent reporting on changes. “Week” and “Day” are the normal legal limits for adults before overtime; “Agreed” means the law leaves overtime pay to contracts or collective agreements. Paid leave is the legal minimum on a five-day week. Laws change and this is a summary, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What are the weekend days in America?

In the United States, Canada and the rest of the Americas listed here, the weekend is Saturday and Sunday. In Mexico and Brazil many businesses also work on Saturday morning, and Brazil moves to two paid rest days a week from December 2026.

Which countries have a Friday–Saturday weekend?

Of the countries listed here, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Qatar take Friday and Saturday off. The UAE moved to Saturday–Sunday in 2022, and many factories and private firms in the Gulf and Bangladesh close only on Friday.

Which countries have a 48-hour working week?

Mexico, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar allow 48 hours a week. In the EU, the UK and Ireland, 48 hours is the most you can work on average including overtime, not the normal week.

Which country has the shortest working week?

France, with a legal 35-hour week; hours above 35 are overtime. Denmark’s collective agreements set 37 hours, Belgium 38 and Australia 38. Mexico is cutting its week from 48 to 40 hours by 2030, and Brazil from 44 to 40 by the end of 2027.

Where do you get the most paid leave?

Brazil, the UAE and Spain give 30 days counting calendar days, and Austria, Sweden, Denmark and France give 5 weeks. The US has no legal minimum at all, and Nigeria’s minimum is 6 working days.