Annual working hours per worker in France
France: Annual working hours per worker was 1,487 hours per worker in 2023. ▼ Falling
Annual working hours per worker in France, 1870–2023
Source: Feenstra et al. - Penn World Table (2025); Huberman and Minns (2005) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hours per worker.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual working hours per worker in France is 1,487 hours per worker, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual working hours per worker in France peaked at 3,168 hours per worker in 1870 and was at its lowest, 1,391 hours per worker, in 2020.
That places France 120th out of 130 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 81 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 3,168 hours per worker | 3,168 hours per worker | 3,168 hours per worker | 1 |
| 1880s | 3,165 hours per worker | 3,165 hours per worker | 3,165 hours per worker | 1 |
| 1890s | 3,119 hours per worker | 3,119 hours per worker | 3,119 hours per worker | 1 |
| 1900s | 3,115 hours per worker | 3,115 hours per worker | 3,115 hours per worker | 1 |
| 1910s | 2,933 hours per worker | 2,933 hours per worker | 2,933 hours per worker | 1 |
| 1920s | 2,198 hours per worker | 2,198 hours per worker | 2,198 hours per worker | 1 |
| 1930s | 1,760 hours per worker | 1,760 hours per worker | 1,760 hours per worker | 1 |
| 1950s | 2,277 hours per worker | 2,179 hours per worker | 2,361 hours per worker | 10 |
| 1960s | 2,136 hours per worker | 2,012 hours per worker | 2,188 hours per worker | 10 |
| 1970s | 1,890 hours per worker | 1,785 hours per worker | 1,993 hours per worker | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,667 hours per worker | 1,619 hours per worker | 1,776 hours per worker | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,590 hours per worker | 1,561 hours per worker | 1,622 hours per worker | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,516 hours per worker | 1,490 hours per worker | 1,542 hours per worker | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,511 hours per worker | 1,492 hours per worker | 1,534 hours per worker | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,460 hours per worker | 1,391 hours per worker | 1,492 hours per worker | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
- 117 United Kingdom 1,523 hours per worker compare
- 118 Mozambique 1,507 hours per worker compare
- 119 Finland 1,497 hours per worker compare
- 121 Uruguay 1,481 hours per worker compare
- 123 Iceland 1,452 hours per worker compare
More work & labour data for France
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 59.5% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 51.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 74.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 71.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual working hours per worker in France?
- Annual working hours per worker in France was 1,487 hours per worker in 2023, according to Feenstra et al. - Penn World Table (2025); Huberman and Minns (2005) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual working hours per worker recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 3,168 hours per worker in 1870.
- What is the lowest annual working hours per worker recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,391 hours per worker in 2020.
- How does France rank for annual working hours per worker?
- France ranks 120th out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual working hours per worker rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from Feenstra et al. - Penn World Table (2025); Huberman and Minns (2005) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual working hours per worker. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average working hours per worker in a given year.