Working hours
Standard working hours by country, the legal working week
The legal standard working week of 137 countries, each linked to the law that sets it. It runs from 35 hours in France to 52 hours in Kenya.
Standard working week, longest first
Hours a week as the law sets them; the wording, linked to its source, notes daily limits and exceptions.
Countries whose law states the week another way
No single weekly figure to rank; the wording says how the law sets working time.
| Country | As the law states it | Read at source |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong | None (no statutory working-hours limit)โ | Oct 29, 2026 |
| Zimbabwe | No statutory weekly maximum (set by sector agreements); 24 hours continuous rest per weekโ | Oct 28, 2026 |
Statutory minimums or standards; employment contracts and collective agreements can set more. Employment terms as listed on each country page (labour data as of Aug 18, 2026 unless re-read since), 137 countries.
Standard working hours by country: common questions
Which country has the longest legal working week?
In our data the longest standard working week is 52 hours, in Kenya, and the shortest is 35 hours, in France. 64 of the 135 countries set the standard week at 40 hours and 67 set it above 40โ.
What happens when an employee works beyond the standard week?
Hours beyond the standard week are overtime, which most laws pay at a premium and cap by day, week or year. Each country page shows its overtime premium with its own source.
Who applies the working-time rules when you hire through an employer of record?
The employer of record is the legal employer, so it writes the local working week into the contract and pays overtime as the law requires, invoicing the client for it.
Hiring someone in another country? Pick the country and we rank the employer of record providers that employ there and apply its employment law, with their published fees.
Get matchedMore employment rules by country: employer costs, minimum wage, annual leave, public holidays, overtime pay, sick leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, 13th month salary, probation period, notice period, severance pay and employer pension.