Where in the World Are the Longest Paid Vacations? A Ranking of Countries

In some countries, employees are guaranteed up to 30 days of paid vacation, while in the U.S., federal law does not set any mandatory minimum. Find out where the longest annual vacation is available, how length of service affects the number of days, and why international rankings aren’t always directly comparable

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The length of guaranteed paid vacation around the world ranges from zero to 30 days per year. The group of countries with the longest statutory vacation includes Malta, Brazil, Peru, and the UAE, where, under certain conditions, employees can receive about 30 days. In Europe, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark, France, and Sweden also have high figures.

However, these figures are not always directly comparable. Some countries calculate vacation in calendar days, others in working days, and in some countries, public holidays may be included in the established minimum. For example, in the United Kingdom, the law guarantees 5.6 weeks of paid vacation, which amounts to 28 days on a five-day workweek, but employers may include bank holidays in this total.

In the European Union, the basic minimum is four weeks of paid annual leave. In 19 of the 28 countries analyzed by Eurofound, the statutory minimum is 20 working days. Luxembourg guarantees 26 days, Austria, Denmark, France, and Sweden—25, and Spain and Portugal—22 working days.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are countries where entitlement increases only with length of service, and the initial minimum ranges from 5 to 14 days. In the United States, federal labor law does not require employers to provide paid annual leave at all: such days are granted under a contract, company policy, or collective bargaining agreement.

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Europe: Where Employees Are Guaranteed the Most Vacation Days

In the European Union, employees are entitled to at least four weeks of paid annual leave. Based on a standard five-day workweek, this amounts to 20 working days. Unused vacation days can only be converted to monetary compensation upon termination of employment.

However, in some countries, the statutory minimum is higher:

1. Malta – 30 days

2. Luxembourg – 26 working days

3. Austria – 25 working days

4. Denmark – 25 working days

5. France – 25 working days

6. Sweden – 25 working days

7. Spain – 22 working days

8. Portugal – 22 working days

In most other EU countries, the minimum vacation entitlement is 20 working days. This group includes, in particular, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Croatia. Eurofound compares these figures based on a five-day workweek to avoid confusion between calendar days and working days.

The United Kingdom stands apart. Most employees on a five-day schedule are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid vacation, or 28 days per year. However, employers may include public and bank holidays in these 28 days. Therefore, the UK figure does not always mean 28 additional days of time off beyond official holidays.

Estonia also guarantees 28 calendar days, but this leave includes weekends. On a five-day workweek, this amounts to approximately four full workweeks, so it is not accurate to compare it directly with the 25 workdays in France or Sweden.

In addition to the statutory minimum, employees may receive additional days under collective bargaining agreements, employment contracts, based on length of service, or due to special working conditions. As a result, the actual vacation time at some companies is often longer than the official minimum.

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Where outside Europe are employees guaranteed up to 30 days of vacation?

Extended paid vacation is not limited to Europe. In Brazil, Peru, and the United Arab Emirates, employees may, under certain conditions, receive 30 calendar days of vacation after a full year of work. However, the rules for accruing, allocating, and reducing vacation time vary.

Brazil

In Brazil, the standard paid vacation is 30 calendar days after every 12 months of work. The full period is granted to an employee who has had no more than five unexcused absences during the year.

If there are more absences, the duration may be reduced:

- 6 to 14 absences – 24 days

- 15 to 23 absences – 18 days

- 24 to 32 absences – 12 days

- More than 32 absences – the right to vacation for that period is forfeited

With the employee’s consent, vacation may be divided into a maximum of three parts. One of these must last at least 14 calendar days, and the other two must be at least five days each.

Peru

Private-sector employees in Peru are entitled to 30 calendar days of paid vacation for each full year of service. This general rule applies to those who work at least four hours a day and have met the required number of days worked.

Vacation may be divided into parts by written agreement with the employer. However, the 30-day figure includes weekends, so it does not equal 30 working days as in European systems.

United Arab Emirates

In the private sector of the UAE, an employee is entitled to 30 calendar days of fully paid vacation after completing one year of service. If a person has worked for more than six months but less than a year, they are entitled to two days for each month of service.

Official public holidays are paid separately. However, specific rules may vary for the public sector, domestic workers, and certain free economic zones. For domestic workers, the law also provides for at least 30 days of paid annual leave.

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Countries Where Vacation Length Depends on Length of Service

In several countries, employees do not receive the maximum number of paid days immediately. Entitlement increases after several years of work, with some countries counting total years of service and others counting time spent with a specific employer.

China

In China, the right to paid annual leave arises after at least one year of cumulative service. The number of days depends on the total length of service:

- 1 to 10 years – 5 days

- 10 to 20 years – 10 days

- 20 years or more – 15 days

Public holidays and regular weekends do not count toward annual leave. Thus, the five-day figure applies only to employees with relatively little seniority, not to all workers in the country.

Japan

In Japan, an employee who has worked continuously for at least six months and has worked at least 80% of the scheduled workdays is entitled to 10 days of paid vacation. This entitlement gradually increases over time and can reach 20 days after 6.5 years of continuous service.

Therefore, the commonly cited figure of 10 days represents only the initial minimum. Employees with longer tenure are entitled to more vacation days, although the actual use of this time depends on company policy and work arrangements.

Mexico

Following labor law reforms, the minimum vacation entitlement in Mexico is 12 working days after the first year of employment. It then increases by two days for each subsequent year until it reaches 20 days. After six years of service, an additional two days are added for every subsequent five years.

Thus, an employee is entitled to:

- 12 days after the first year

- 14 days after the second year

- 16 days after the third year

- 18 days after the fourth year

- 20 days after the fifth year

- 22 days after 6–10 years of service

These are workdays, not calendar days, so the Mexican minimum should not be directly compared to the 14 calendar days in other systems.

Canada

In Canada, there is no single nationwide rule for all employees: most labor regulations are set by the provinces and territories. For employees in sectors subject to federal regulation, the following scale applies:

- After one year – 2 weeks

- After five years – 3 weeks

- After ten years – 4 weeks

Therefore, the 14-day figure represents only the baseline and does not account for longer periods of service. Rules may vary by province in terms of duration and number of weeks.

United States: Paid vacation is not guaranteed by law

The United States remains an exception among developed countries: federal law does not require employers to provide paid annual leave. The number of days, the procedure for accruing them, and the ability to carry them over are determined by an employment contract, a collective bargaining agreement, or the company’s internal policies.

In practice, most employees have paid time off, but not all. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in March 2025, 77% of private-sector employees had access to paid vacation. The most common package after one year of employment was 10–14 days, and the number of days typically increased with longer tenure.

It is important to distinguish between the absence of a legal guarantee and actual company practices. A figure of 0 guaranteed days means that the employer is not required to provide paid vacation at the federal level. At the same time, many companies include it in their compensation package to attract and retain employees.

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What should you check in the vacation policy before accepting a job?

The number of days listed in a job posting or employment contract should be evaluated alongside the rules for accruing them. The same wording may correspond to different actual leave durations depending on the country and work schedule.

Before signing a contract, check:

- Is vacation calculated in workdays or calendar days?

- Are public holidays included in the total number of days?

- When do you become eligible for full vacation time?

- Does the number of days increase with seniority?

- How many days can you take consecutively?

- Is it allowed to carry over unused days to the next year?

- What happens to unused days upon termination?

- Are additional days provided for under the contract or collective bargaining agreement?

The method of accrual is also important. In some countries, an employee receives the full annual allowance after a set period of employment; in others, days accrue on a monthly basis. If a person changes jobs in the middle of the year, the number of available days is often calculated proportionally based on the time worked.

It’s also worth clarifying the rules for scheduling vacation dates. The law may guarantee the right to vacation, but the specific period is usually agreed upon with the employer. In seasonal industries, tourism, retail, and healthcare, companies may restrict vacation time during their busiest months.

Also, annual leave should not automatically be equated with sick leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, or unpaid leave. These are separate types of absence with their own conditions and payment rules.

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