Annual working hours per person employed in Australia
Australia: Annual working hours per person employed was 1,731 Hours in 2016. ▬ Flat
Annual working hours per person employed in Australia, 1970–2016
Source: OECD (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in Hours.
Analysis
Australia recorded 1,731 Hours for annual working hours per person employed in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 47 years on record.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual working hours per person employed in Australia peaked at 1,868 Hours in 1993 and was at its lowest, 1,731 Hours, in 2016.
Australia ranks 20th of 37 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,833 Hours | 1,815 Hours | 1,865 Hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,804 Hours | 1,781 Hours | 1,828 Hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,850 Hours | 1,837 Hours | 1,868 Hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,797 Hours | 1,754 Hours | 1,831 Hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,754 Hours | 1,731 Hours | 1,772 Hours | 7 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More work & labour data for Australia
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 70.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 70.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 70.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 70.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 77.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 83.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 66.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual working hours per person employed in Australia?
- Annual working hours per person employed in Australia was 1,731 Hours in 2016, according to OECD (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual working hours per person employed recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 1,868 Hours in 1993.
- What is the lowest annual working hours per person employed recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,731 Hours in 2016.
- How does Australia rank for annual working hours per person employed?
- Australia ranks 20th out of 37 countries with data for 2016.
- Is annual working hours per person employed rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual working hours per person employed. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Regular hours worked by full-time and part-time workers, paid and unpaid overtime, hours worked in additional jobs, and time not worked because of public holidays, annual paid leave, strikes and labour disputes, and other reasons.