Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Iceland

Iceland: Average weekly hours usually worked per employee was 37.45 in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
37.45
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
73rd
of 87 countries
All-time high
41.17
in 2003
All-time low
37.32
in 2021
Years of data
29
1995–2023

Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Iceland, 1995–2023

0102030401995200920231995: 39.71996: 40.71997: 40.41998: 39.81999: 40.42000: 40.72001: 40.42002: 39.72003: 41.22004: 40.92005: 40.52006: 40.62007: 40.62008: 40.22009: 38.62010: 38.32011: 38.82012: 38.82013: 38.72014: 39.12015: 392016: 38.72017: 38.52018: 38.62019: 38.62020: 37.82021: 37.32022: 37.42023: 37.5

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

Iceland recorded 37.45 for average weekly hours usually worked per employee in 2023.

That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and down 3.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Iceland peaked at 41.17 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 37.32, in 2021.

Iceland ranks 73rd of 87 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.

Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Iceland, year by year

Annual values for Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Iceland, 1995 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1995 39.72
1996 40.74 +2.6%
1997 40.38 -0.9%
1998 39.79 -1.5%
1999 40.4 +1.5%
2000 40.68 +0.7%
2001 40.42 -0.6%
2002 39.7 -1.8%
2003 41.17 +3.7%
2004 40.94 -0.6%
2005 40.49 -1.1%
2006 40.62 +0.3%
2007 40.6 -0.0%
2008 40.18 -1.0%
2009 38.56 -4.0%
2010 38.33 -0.6%
2011 38.77 +1.1%
2012 38.82 +0.1%
2013 38.72 -0.3%
2014 39.09 +1.0%
2015 38.97 -0.3%
2016 38.71 -0.7%
2017 38.54 -0.4%
2018 38.63 +0.2%
2019 38.58 -0.1%
2020 37.79 -2.0%
2021 37.32 -1.2%
2022 37.37 +0.1%
2023 37.45 +0.2%

Iceland compared with similar countries

  • Iceland's 37.45 is below the median for high income countries, which is 39, 96% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
  • Iceland's 37.45 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 39.11, 96% of the median. (41 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 40.21 39.72 40.74 5
2000s 40.34 38.56 41.17 10
2010s 38.72 38.33 39.09 10
2020s 37.48 37.32 37.79 4

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 70 East Timor 38.04 compare
  2. 71 Spain 37.74 compare
  3. 72 Norway 37.73 compare
  4. 74 France 37.28 compare
  5. 75 Denmark 36.58 compare
  6. 76 Italy 36.3 compare

See the full ranking of 87 places →

More work & labour data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Iceland?
Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Iceland was 37.45 in 2023, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest average weekly hours usually worked per employee recorded in Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 41.17 in 2003.
What is the lowest average weekly hours usually worked per employee recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 37.32 in 2021.
How does Iceland rank for average weekly hours usually worked per employee?
Iceland ranks 73rd out of 87 countries with data for 2023.
Is average weekly hours usually worked per employee rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Iceland data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Average weekly hours usually worked per employee. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/average-weekly-hours-usually-worked-per-employee/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator
Average weekly hours usually worked per employee
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 1,878 data points, 1976–2026
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. The concept of hours usually worked relates to the typical value of hours actually worked in a job per a short reference period such as one week, over a long observation period of a month, quarter, season or year that comprises the short reference measurement period used. The typical value may be the modal value of the distribution of hours actually worked per short period over the long observation period, where meaningful. The short reference period for measuring hours usually worked should be the same as the reference period used to measure employment. For more information, refer to the Wages and Working Time Statistics (COND) database description.