Whether it’s a day off in lieu of a national holiday, a religious festival, or simply a mandated minimum for paid vacation days, there are different rules in each country that set the base threshold of paid time off for workers.
Resume.io analyzed the laws on statutory paid leave and paid public holidays in every country around the world. They used this to create graphics to reveal the minimum amount of vacation days employees are entitled
Countries With the Most and Least Paid Vacation
The data in the study focuses in on two types of paid leave: public holidays and paid vacation days. Combine them together and you have the total amount of paid leave.
Here’s how the numbers break down on both ends of the spectrum:
Some African, European, and Central Asian countries, including Togo (43), San Marino (46) and Yemen (45), have been extremely generous with doling out vacation days.
At the very top is Iran with a total of 53 vacation days, split almost equally between public holidays and paid time off.
Meanwhile, others including the Oceanic countries of Micronesia (9) and Nauru (10) rank at the bottom of the list. The U.S. is tied with Nauru in second-last place, with employees mandated a minimum of only 10 vacation days a year.
Which Countries Have the Most Paid Leave Days?
If you’re working full-time and devoting 40 hours per week to your workplace, many nations believe you deserve time off.
In most countries, laws to provide statutory leave to employees are in place. 22 countries have a generous 30-day leave policy, with 10 located in Africa.
However, the amount of paid leave around the world often relies on the employee’s tenure. And not all countries have the same minimums, as the U.S., Nauru, Micronesia, and Kiribati, have zero mandated paid leave days.
It’s important to note that this does not mean that all employees in these countries have zero paid leave. Instead it means that it’s up to the hiring employer, with some companies using generous paid leave to entice skilled employees while others offer none.
Which Countries Have the Most Public Holidays?
Countries around the world celebrate public holidays for numerous different occasions. They honor significant national, cultural, and religious events.
Again, the number of these days can vary worldwide. Iran offers the highest number of paid public holidays in the world with a total 27 days per year including the Islamic Republic Day. It is followed by Bangladesh (24), Azerbaijan (21), and Cambodia (21).
On the other extreme, Libya has no paid public holidays, while Lebanon has only two paid public holidays per year.
And not every celebration is a holiday. For example, despite having a plethora of festivals and days of national importance, India has only three paid national holidays: Republic Day, Independence Day, and the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
However, India is also a good example of countries which also offer state-level holidays. Every state is empowered to add to its list of paid holidays based on their religious, cultural and historical occasions.