average hours worked in oecd countries

Hardest Working Countries 2026

In today’s global economy, the concept of hard work remains a significant ideal, yet the United States does not hold the title of the hardest working country in the world. As of 2026, the average American worker clocks in at approximately 1,791 hours per year, which positions the U.S. as the tenth highest in terms of annual working hours among developed nations.

This discrepancy highlights the complex interplay of workplace regulations, cultural values, and economic conditions that influence how much individuals work in different countries. Notably, a correlation does not always exist between a nation’s wealth or productivity and the total hours its workforce dedicates to their jobs.

For instance, Germany, despite having the least annual working hours among developed countries, boasts a robust economy with a per capita GDP significantly higher than that of Mexico, where workers log 58% more hours annually. This showcases that hard work does not always equate to higher economic output.

Here’s a look at the top 10 hardest working countries in the world as of 2026:

Mexico

Average hours of work annually: 2,127.8 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: 27%

Mexico continues to lead with the highest average annual work hours, where a significant portion of the workforce exceeds 50 hours weekly. This contributes to Mexico’s ranking as one of the countries with the least leisure time among developed nations.
Costa Rica

Average hours of work annually: 2,073.3 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: 25.6%

Costa Rica’s workforce is dedicated, although the percentage of workers putting in over 50 hours has been declining over the years.
Chile

Average hours of work annually: 1,915.6 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: 7.7%

Chilean workers contribute to a high average of annual hours, reflecting a reasonable commitment to work.
South Korea

Average hours of work annually: 1,915 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: 19.7%

In South Korea, a strong work ethic is evident, as nearly one in five adults work over 50 hours a week, and the country continues to face challenges related to employee rights, including the lack of mandated paid sick leave.
Malta

Average hours of work annually: 1,882.2 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: N/A

Malta’s workers maintain a high average of hours worked, solidifying its place among the hardest working nations.
Greece

Average hours of work annually: 1,872.2 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: 4.5%

Though Greece has a lower percentage of workers logging over 50 hours, its overall work hours remain consistently high.
Romania

Average hours of work annually: 1,838.4 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: N/A

Romania has seen a gradual increase in working hours, reflecting a growing workforce commitment.
Croatia

Average hours of work annually: 1,835 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: N/A

Croatia’s average working hours remain stable, keeping it within the ranks of highly active workforces.
Poland

Average hours of work annually: 1,830.2 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: 4.2%

Poland exhibits the lowest percentage of workers exceeding 50 hours while still maintaining a notable average of annual work hours.
United States

Average hours of work annually: 1,791 hours

Percentage of population that works 50+ hours per week: 10.4%

Despite the cultural emphasis on hard work, the U.S. ranks tenth in the world for annual hours worked.

Average Annual Work Hours in OECD Countries

Location	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
Mexico	2,127	2,123	2,138	2,149	2,148
Costa Rica	2,073	1,913	2,059	2,121	2,178
Chile	1,915	1,825	1,929	1,955	1,963
Korea	1,915	1,908	1,967	1,993	2,018
Malta	1,882	1,902	2,062	1,972	1,942
Greece	1,872	1,730	1,916	1,961	1,946
Romania	1,838	1,806	1,803	1,787	1,785
Croatia	1,835	1,833	1,837	1,811	1,823
Poland	1,830	1,768	1,782	1,787	1,811
United States	1,791	1,767	1,777	1,781	1,777
Ireland	1,775	1,746	1,771	1,782	1,775
Estonia	1,767	1,637	1,694	1,707	1,768
Czech Republic	1,752	1,703	1,786	1,784	1,776
Israel	1,752	1,782	1,898	1,910	1,918
Cyprus	1,745	1,701	1,809	1,809	1,821
New Zealand	1,730	1,739	1,783	1,759	1,756
OECD – Total	1,715	1,668	1,741	1,752	1,757
Hungary	1,697	1,657	1,722	1,729	1,747
Australia	1,694	1,683	1,722	1,732	1,738
Canada	1,685	1,644	1,690	1,708	1,695
Italy	1,668	1,553	1,710	1,719	1,719
Portugal	1,648	1,611	1,743	1,737	1,727
Spain	1,640	1,569	1,682	1,697	1,692
Lithuania	1,620	1,594	1,665	1,664	1,656
Bulgaria	1,619	1,604	1,645	1,644	1,643
Japan	1,607	1,598	1,643	1,680	1,708
Latvia	1,601	1,576	1,631	1,661	1,649
Slovenia	1,596	1,533	1,601	1,599	1,621
Slovak Republic	1,583	1,572	1,692	1,703	1,713
European Union (27 countries)	1,565	1,511	1,593	1,597	1,599
Switzerland	1,533	1,498	1,549	1,551	1,559
Finland	1,518	1,528	1,538	1,546	1,548
United Kingdom	1,497	1,363	1,537	1,536	1,535
Belgium	1,493	1,443	1,577	1,580	1,578
France	1,490	1,407	1,518	1,514	1,507
Sweden	1,444	1,426	1,453	1,466	1,466
Austria	1,442	1,400	1,508	1,502	1,498
Iceland	1,433	1,446	1,480	1,496	1,507
Norway	1,427	1,410	1,418	1,419	1,419
Netherlands	1,416	1,406	1,438	1,436	1,436
Luxembourg	1,382	1,420	1,507	1,509	1,508
Denmark	1,363	1,342	1,371	1,381	1,404
Germany	1,349	1,324	1,381	1,384	1,389

What Country Has the Hardest Workers?

Mexico boasts the world’s hardest working individuals, averaging 2,127.8 hours annually. This translates to about 40.9 hours per week, which is roughly 5.7% more than the average work hours of Americans.

Moreover, 27% of Mexican workers consistently exceed 50 hours of work weekly, ranking among the highest globally.

References

Hours worked – OECD
Work-Life Balance – OECD

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Author

Matthew Zane

Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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