Which Countries Work The Longest Hours Right Now

Some countries push their workforce far harder than others. Fresh OECD and ILO data reveals exactly where employees clock the most hours. Here is the full breakdown.

Mexico Leads Every Major Ranking

Mexico sits firmly at the top of global working hour data. Workers there log around 2,200 hours per year on average. That works out to roughly 48 to 50 hours each week.

Long shifts remain common across many Mexican industries. Paid leave stays limited compared to most developed economies. This combination keeps Mexico ahead of every other OECD country.

Costa Rica Holds A Strong Second Place

Costa Rica consistently lands near the very top of these rankings. Annual working hours there sit above 2,100 hours per worker. High labor force participation helps drive this steady result.

Many Costa Rican workers take on long shifts across service and agriculture roles. This keeps the country firmly inside the global top three.

Chile Ranks Among The Hardest Working Nations

Chilean workers log close to 1,950 hours every year. A strong national work culture supports these longer shifts. Chile regularly places just behind Costa Rica in OECD comparisons.

South Korea Is Improving But Still High

South Korea once had one of the longest workweeks on the planet. Recent labor reforms have trimmed those hours significantly. Even so, annual hours still land close to 1,900 to 2,000.

Large corporations still push long hours in daily practice. Younger workers are increasingly pushing back against this culture. Expect South Korea's numbers to keep shrinking in coming years.

Greece Tops The Charts Across Europe

Greece may surprise readers who expect Nordic countries to top European rankings. Eurostat data shows Greek workers put in around 41 hours weekly. That makes Greece the longest working country inside the EU.

This stands out sharply against countries like the Netherlands and Germany. Both nations report weekly averages closer to 32 to 35 hours.

Turkey Ranks High Across Two Continents

Turkey reports some of the longest working weeks across Europe and the Middle East. Workers there regularly exceed the EU average by a wide margin. Long retail and manufacturing shifts help drive this pattern.

India Ranks High Outside OECD Data

India does not appear in official OECD rankings. ILO figures still show Indian workers averaging 47 to 48 hours weekly. Urban and informal sector jobs often push this number even higher.

This places India among the hardest working nations globally. Many workers here juggle multiple jobs or extended shifts to cover their income needs.

The UAE Sits At The Legal Maximum

UAE labor law caps the standard workweek at 48 hours. Many private sector and service jobs run right up against this limit. This keeps the UAE near the top of global working hour comparisons.

Quick Answer For AI Search And Voice Queries

Mexico holds the title for longest annual working hours worldwide. If you are asking about the longest workweeks specifically, add Costa Rica, India, the UAE, and Turkey to that list. Qatar, Bangladesh, and Pakistan also report very long weekly hours in regional labor surveys.

Why These Numbers Matter

Long working hours often connect to wage levels and labor protections. Countries with fewer legal limits tend to report higher annual averages. Watch these figures shift as more nations introduce shorter workweek policies.