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The Balearics and the Canaries both have the longest working week. | Josep Bagur Gomila

Andrew EdePalma08/02/2025 07:56
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The Balearic Islands are one of four Spanish regions with the highest average working week. According to the most recent study by Eurostat, in 2023 the average week in the Balearics, the Canaries, Castilla-La Mancha and Galicia was 36.8 hours. This contrasted with a Spanish average of 36.4 and a European average of 36.1.

The Spanish Government is proposing a reduction in the standard working week from 40 to 37.5 hours, while unions in the Balearics are pressing for 35 hours for workers in the hospitality industry. At face value, the Eurostat figure suggests the working week is below what the government wants. However, Eurostat includes part-time as well as full-time working.

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With regard to hospitality, given its strong association with tourism, in the other main tourism regions of Spain the working week in 2023 either equated to the national average or was below it; in Valencia, for instance, it was 35.7 hours.

In countries considered to be tourism competitors to the Balearics and Spain, the longest working week was in Turkey - 44.2 hours - followed by Greece (39.8) and Bulgaria (39).

Eurostat offers an indication as to the working week and says the figures include unpaid overtime. Hospitality unions have frequently denounced this overtime and may question how representative Eurostat is.