Archive · 20 Aug 2026
IMF Study Finds India Works Long Hours Despite Growth
An IMF study looked at how much people work in different countries.
People with jobs work about 43 hours per week around the world.
In India and some other middle-income countries, workers often work more than 45 hours.
Richer countries do not always have shorter working hours.
Young people may work less because they stay in school longer.
Older people may work less when pensions make retirement possible.
Men have often reduced their working hours while more women have entered paid jobs.
Laws about overtime, holidays and maximum working hours can strongly affect work patterns.
The study says technology may improve productivity, but it will not automatically make workweeks shorter.
Workers in India and other middle-income countries often work more than 45 hours per week.
Globally, employed people work about 43 hours weekly, while the average falls to roughly 25 hours when unemployed adults are included.
Working hours are shaped by education, pensions, labour laws, paid leave and overtime rules, not income alone.
In prime working ages, stable total hours often conceal fewer hours worked by men and greater participation by women.
The study finds that technology and economic growth do not automatically create shorter working weeks.
- Who
- The International Monetary Fund researchers and workers worldwide, including workers in India and other middle-income countries.
- What
- An IMF analysis examined global working hours and the policies that influence how much people work.
- Where
- Worldwide, with specific comparisons involving India, Pakistan, France and the United States.
- Why
- The analysis found that education, pension coverage, labour regulations, paid leave, overtime rules and social policies help determine working hours, while income alone explains relatively little.
- Global employment rate
- 59% of people aged 15 and above are employed.
- Average hours among employed people
- About 43 hours per week globally.
- Average hours among all adults
- Around 25 hours per week when people without jobs are included.
- India and Pakistan
- Workers with jobs put in more than 45 hours per week.
- Prime-age work pattern
- In the United States, average prime-age working time was about 30 hours per week in 1900, nearly the same as today, when people without jobs are included.
- Gender distribution
- Men account for roughly two-thirds of total working hours worldwide, and women account for about one-third.
- Main policy influences
- Maximum working-hour limits, overtime regulations, paid leave and retirement systems strongly affect working hours.