Working Hours in the Netherlands

The legal working week and day in the Netherlands, how overtime is paid, which days are the weekend, normal office hours and the paid leave you are owed.

Working week 40 hours Working day 12 hours Overtime pay Agreed Weekend days Sat–Sun Business hours 9am–5pm Annual leave 20 days

Working week in the Netherlands

40 hours

The law sets no standard week; full-time is usually 36 to 40 hours. The Working Hours Act caps work at 60 hours in any week and 48 on average over 16 weeks.

Working day in the Netherlands

12 hours

You can work at most 12 hours a day, with 11 hours’ rest between shifts. A 30-minute break is due after 5.5 hours and 45 minutes after 10 hours.

Overtime pay in the Netherlands

Agreed

There is no legal overtime premium; the collective agreement or contract decides, and many salaried jobs do not pay overtime.

Weekend days in the Netherlands

Sat–Sun

Saturday and Sunday are the weekend for offices. Shops open on Saturday and many on Sunday afternoon, depending on the town.

Business hours in the Netherlands

9am–5pm

Office hours are usually 8:30am or 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, with a short lunch. Part-time work is very common.

Annual leave in the Netherlands

20 days

The legal minimum is four times your working days a week, 20 days on a five-day week. Most employers give about 25, and holiday pay of at least 8% of yearly wages is paid, usually in May.

Checked 24 October 2026 against national labour laws and government sites. Laws change and this is a summary, not legal advice; check with the authority that applies to you.

Working days in the Netherlands 2026

Business days and working hours by month, after weekends and holidays.

Minimum wage in the Netherlands

The hourly and monthly minimum, in local money and US dollars.

Dutch public holidays 2026

Every holiday with its date and long weekends.