How Many Working Days in a Year? Updated Holiday List in 2024

How many working days in a year in your country? Check out best holidays in the world!

Working days refer to the number of days in a year when employees are expected to work full-time or part-time, according to their employment contract. These days typically exclude weekends and public holidays when businesses and government offices are closed. The exact number of working days varies between countries and industries, depending on factors such as labour laws, cultural norms, and economic conditions.

Which country has the highest and lowest number of working days in a year? It is time to explore some interesting facts about the number of working days and holidays worldwide before you decide what your dream working countries are. 

Table of Contents

• Whys?
• Number of working days in a year in different countries
• Number of Working Hours In A Year
• Influence factors
• Holidays around the world
  • Australia day
  • Independence day
  • Lantern festival
  • Memorial days
  • Children day
  • Public Holiday
  • Christmas
  • Random Fun Days
• Number of Working Hours in a Year in Different Countries
• The 4-day Workweek Trend
• Bonus: Activities in Holidays
• AhaSlides Spinner Wheel
• Recap

Why Should You Know The Total Working Hours in a Year?

Knowing the number of working hours in a year can be valuable for several reasons:

1. Financial Planning and Salary Negotiations: Understanding your annual working hours can help you calculate your hourly wage, which is useful for financial planning or when negotiating salary, especially for jobs that offer pay based on hourly rates.
2. Work-Life Balance Assessment: Being aware of how many hours you work annually can aid in assessing your work-life balance. It helps in determining if you are overworking and need to adjust your schedule for better health and well-being.
3. Project and Time Management: For project planning and management, knowing the total working hours available in a year can help in allocating resources and estimating project timelines more accurately.
4. Comparative Analysis: This information can be useful for comparing work hours across different jobs, industries, or countries, providing insight into labor standards and quality of life.
5. Business Planning and Human Resources: For business owners and HR professionals, understanding annual working hours is crucial for planning labor costs, scheduling, and workforce management.
6. Legal and Contractual Obligations: Knowing the standard working hours can ensure compliance with labor laws and contractual agreements, which often define work hours and overtime regulations.

How many working days in a year in different countries

As mentioned above, the number of working days per year can vary depending on the government and industry. Generally, European countries have fewer working days in a year than countries in Asia or North America. So do you know how many working days in a year on average? 

How many working days in a year? - Top countries with a high number of working days

• On the top is Mexico, India with around 288 - 312 working days per year, the highest among OECD countries. This is because these countries allow employees to have standard 48 working hours equal to 6 working days per week. Many Mexicans and Indians have work from Monday to Saturday as usual.
• Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea have 261 working days per year for the typical five working days a week. However, many companies require 5.5 or 6 working days in a week, so the total working days in a year will vary from 287 to 313 working days respectively. 
• More than 20 least-developed African countries have high working days with record Longest Work Weeks With more than 47 hours.

How many working days in a year? - Top countries with medium number of working days

• Canada, Australia, United States have the same customary number of working days, total of 260 days. It is also an average number of working days in a year in many developed countries, with 40 work hours in a week.
• Other developing countries and middle high-income countries also work with shorter weekly hours, lead to fewer working days in a year.

How many working days in a year? - Top countries with low number of working days

• In the United Kingdom, and Germany, the standard number of working days in a year is 252 days after deducting ten days for public holidays. 

• In Japan, the standard number of working days in a year is 225. Though Japan is famous for work pressure and burnout, with about 16 public holidays, their working days in a year are much fewer than in other Asian countries. 

• In the United Kingdom, and Germany, the standard number of working days in a year is 252 days after deducting ten days for public holidays. 

• It isn't so surprising that French, Belgium, Denmark, and some European countries have the lowest working days, 218-220 days. Due to new labor law, the traditional 40-hour work hours is decreased to 32-35 hours per week without a salary cut, four days per week rather than five days as before. It is the government's new act to promote work-life balance and give companies more freedom to organize their work time. 

How Many Working Hours In A Year?

To calculate the number of working hours in a year, we need to know three variables: the number of workdays per week, the average length of a workday, and the number of holidays and vacation days. In many countries, the standard is based on a 40-hour workweek.

To calculate the annual working hours, you can use the following formula:

(Number of working days per week) x (Number of working hours per day) x (Number of weeks in a year) - (Holidays and vacation days x Working hours per day)

For example, assuming a standard 5-day workweek and 8-hour workday, without accounting for holidays and vacation:

5 days/week x 8 hours/day x 52 weeks/year = 2,080 hours/year

However, this number will decrease when you subtract public holidays and paid vacation days, which vary by country and individual employment contracts. For example, if an employee has 10 public holidays and 15 vacation days in a year:

25 days x 8 hours/day = 200 hours

So, the total working hours in a year would be:

2,080 hours - 200 hours = 1,880 hours/year

However, this is only a general calculation. The actual working hours may vary based on specific work schedules, part-time or overtime work, and national labor laws. On average, employees are expected to work 2,080 hours a year.

How many working days in a year? - Influence factors

So, how many working days in a year can be counted in your country? You can estimate how many working days in a year in your country and others by looking into how many holidays you have. There are two main categories: public holidays and annual leave, which account for differences in the number of working days in a year in many countries.

Public holidays are days businesses, government offices are closed, and employees are expected to take the day off with pay. India comes on top with 21 public holidays. There is no such surprise as India has diverse cultures with many festivals celebrating all year round. Switzerland is at the bottom of the list with about seven public holidays. However, not all public holidays are paid non-working days. It is a fact that Iran has 27 public holidays and the most paid vacation days overall, with 53 days in the world.

Annual leave refers to the number of days that a company grants employees paid each year, including the specific number of paid time-off days per year that the government regulates, and some are from companies. So far, the United States is the only nation that doesn't have a federal law for employers to offer paid annual leave for their employees. Meanwhile, the 10 top countries offer yearly generous leave entitlements, including France, Panama, Brazil (30 days), the United Kingdom, and Russia (28 days), followed by Sweden, Norway, Austria, Denmark, and Finland (25 days).

Holidays around the world

Some countries share the same public holidays, such as Christmas, New Year, and Lunar New Year, while some unique holidays only appear in specific countries. Let's look at some memorable holidays in some countries and see how they differ from countries. 

Australia day

Australia day, or invasion day, marks the foundation of the first permanent European arrival with the first Union Flag raised on the continent of Australia. People join the crowds in every corner of Australia and celebrate with many events on 26 January annually. 

Independence day

Each country has a different Independence Day - the annual celebration of nationhood. Each country celebrates its independence day in different ways. Some countries like to have fireworks, dance performances,s and military parades in their national square. 

Lantern festival

Originating from the traditional Chinese festivals, the Lantern Festival is more prevalent in oriental cultures, aiming to promote hope, peace, forgiveness, and reunion. It is a long holiday with around two non-working days paid in some countries such as China and Taiwan. People like to decorate streets with colourful red lanterns, eat sticky rice, and enjoy Lion and Dragon dances.

Check out:

• Lunar new year
• Chinese new year quiz

Memorial days

One of the famous federal holidays in the United States is Memorial Day, which aims to honour and mourn the U.S. military personnel who have sacrificed while serving in the United States armed forces. This day is celebrated on the last Monday of May annually. 

Children day

The 1st of June is considered an international day worldwide, proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare in 1925. However, some countries offer another day, such as Taiwan and Hong Kong, to celebrate Children's Day on the 1st of April, or the 5th, of May in Japan and Korea.

Check out: When is Children's Day?

Public Holiday

• New years trivia
• New Year music quiz
• Easter Quiz
• What to take to Thanksgiving dinner

Christmas

• +130 Best Christmas Trivia Questions For Family Gathering
• Christmas Challenge: 140+ Best Christmas Picture Quiz Questions
• Christmas Movie Quiz 2023: +75 Best Questions with Answers
• Christmas Music Quiz | 75 Best Questions And Answers

Random Fun Days

• 30 Best Quotes On Women’s Day in 2023
• Things to Do for Spring Break | Best 20 Ideas in 2023
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• What to buy on Black Friday

How Many Working Hours in a Year in Different Countries

As mentioned above, the number of working hours per year can vary depending on the government and industry. Generally, European countries have fewer working days in a year than countries in Asia or North America, hence, fewer working hours.

Here's an overview for a few countries, based on a standard full-time work schedule without taking into account overtime, part-time work, or additional factors like unpaid labor. These figures assume a 5-day workweek and standard vacation allowances:

• United States: The standard workweek is usually 40 hours. With 52 weeks in a year, that's 2,080 hours annually. However, when accounting for the average number of vacation days and public holidays (around 10 public holidays and 10 vacation days), it's closer to 1,880 hours.
• United Kingdom: The standard workweek is about 37.5 hours. With 5.6 weeks of statutory annual leave (including public holidays), the annual working hours total around 1,740.
• Germany: The typical workweek is around 35 to 40 hours. With a minimum of 20 vacation days plus public holidays, the annual working hours can range from 1,760 to 1,880 hours.
• Japan: Known for longer work hours, the typical workweek is around 40 hours. With 10 public holidays and an average of 10 days of vacation, the annual working hours amount to approximately 1,880.
• Australia: The standard workweek is 38 hours. Accounting for 20 statutory vacation days and public holidays, the total working hours in a year would be around 1,776 hours.
• Canada: With a standard 40-hour workweek and considering public holidays and two weeks of vacation, the total working hours are around 1,880 annually.
• France: France is known for a 35-hour workweek. Factoring in around 5 weeks of paid vacation and public holidays, the annual working hours are roughly 1,585.
• South Korea: Traditionally known for long work hours, recent reforms have reduced the workweek to 52 hours (40 regular + 12 overtime hours). With public holidays and vacations, the annual working hours are around 2,024.

Note: These figures are approximate and can vary based on specific employment contracts, company policies, and individual choices regarding overtime and additional work. Additionally, many countries are experimenting with different work models, such as the 4-day workweek, which can further affect the total number of annual working hours.

The 4-day Workweek Trend

The 4-day workweek trend is a growing movement in the modern workplace, where businesses are shifting from the traditional 5-day workweek to a 4-day model. This change usually involves employees working four days a week while still maintaining full-time hours or slightly extended hours on working days.

The 4-day workweek represents a significant shift in how work is structured and is part of a larger conversation about improving workplace efficiency and quality of life for employees. As this trend gains traction, it will be interesting to see how different industries adapt and what long-term impacts it will have on the workforce and society.

Countries such as New Zealand, Iceland, and the United Kingdom are adopting this newly revised workweek. However, it's still considered an innovative approach rather than a standard practice.

Bonus: Activities in Holidays

Knowing how many working days a year is essential for employers and employees. Regarding personal issues, you can better arrange your vacation and estimate your salary accurately. If you are HR or team leader, you can easily schedule company non-working events, like team-building. 

Regarding holidays, many employees might not want to be interrupted by the company; if it is a must event, the suggested solution is virtual meetings. You can organize virtual team-building activities to share a joyful moment and connect with your team members at any convenient time. Here are some fun and interactive ideas for your successful events.

1. Holiday Bingo
2. Christmas quiz
3. Merry Murder Mystery
4. New Year'Eve lucky prize
5. Christmas Scavenger Hunt
6. Video Charades
7. Virtual Team Pictionary
8. Never Have I Ever...
9. 5 Second Rule
10. Virtual live pub quiz
11. Have fun with your children

Working with AhaSlides, you can save time and budget for organizing team meetings, presentations, and team-building activities.

AhaSlides Spinner Wheel

Choose your best activities to play on a working holiday with AhaSlides Spinner Wheel.

Recap

So, how many working days in a year? The article has given you helpful information, interesting facts about working days and relevance. Now that you know how many working days in a year in your country and how many working days in a year can be counted easily, you can better pick up your favourite dream working nation, and even improve yourself to go there and work.

For employers, it is crucial to know how many working days in a year are different among countries, especially for a remote and international team, so that you can understand their work culture and benefit your employees.

Try AhaSlides Spinner Wheel to have fun with your employees at any time.