The 40-hour week is the American standard. The Dutch work the shortest week in the EU. How many hours?

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Dutch workers average 31.9 hours a week, the shortest in the EU, where the average is 35.9. Part-time work is normal in the Netherlands rather than marginal. Over a full year the Dutch put in about 1,400 hours, Americans about 1,800 and Canadians about 1,870.

Dutch workers average 31.9 hours a week, the shortest in the EU. Americans work about 380 hours more a year.

Source: Eurostat / OECD · checked May 2026