How Many Hours Is Part Time?
Part time means fewer hours than full time, so there is no one legal number of hours a week. This guide shows where the line sits in each country and what part time hours add up to.
The Short Answer
Part time is any week with fewer hours than full time at your employer. Full time is usually 35 to 40 hours, so part time is anything below that.
The law rarely sets a number. Your contract states your hours, and a few rules, such as health insurance in the US, draw a line for one purpose.
How Many Hours A Week Is Part Time In The US?
US federal wage law does not define part time. Employers set it, and the same worker can be full time for one benefit and part time for another.
For health insurance, the Affordable Care Act line below is the one number you can point to.
For the health care mandate, the IRS counts an average of 30 hours a week, or 130 hours a month, as full time. Source: IRS, Employer Shared Responsibility. Checked November 2026.
The full time side of the line is in the full time hours guide.
How Many Hours A Week Is Part Time In The UK?
The UK has no legal definition either. Many employers treat under 35 hours as part time, and your contract states the exact number.
The 48 hour average limit is a ceiling for everyone, so it does not mark part time.
Most UK workers cannot work more than 48 hours a week on average, normally over 17 weeks, unless they choose to opt out. Source: GOV.UK, maximum weekly working hours. Checked November 2026.
How Many Hours A Week Is Part Time In Canada?
Canadian rules are set mainly by each province, so part time is set by the employer. Federally regulated employers use a 40 hour standard week as the full time mark.
Anything under your employer's full time week is part time.
The Canada Labour Code sets a standard work week of 40 hours for federally regulated employers. Provinces set their own rules. Source: Canada.ca, hours of work. Checked November 2026.
How Many Hours A Week Is Part Time In Australia?
Australia is the clearest. A full-time employee has ordinary hours of up to 38 a week, so part time means regular hours below that.
Casual work is different. A casual employee has no guaranteed hours, so the weekly total can change from week to week.
The National Employment Standards set maximum weekly hours of 38 for a full-time employee, plus reasonable additional hours. Source: Fair Work Ombudsman, maximum weekly hours. Checked November 2026.
What Part Time Hours Add Up To
Multiply weekly hours by 52 for a year, and divide by 12 for a month. The percentage shows how much of a 40 hour week you work.
| Hours a week | Share of 40 hours | Hours a year | Average hours a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 hours | 25% | 520 | 43.3 |
| 15 hours | 38% | 780 | 65.0 |
| 20 hours | 50% | 1,040 | 86.7 |
| 25 hours | 63% | 1,300 | 108.3 |
| 29 hours | 73% | 1,508 | 125.7 |
| 30 hours | 75% | 1,560 | 130.0 |
Paid leave and holidays come out of these totals, so the hours you actually work are lower.
Part Time Pay And Benefits
Pay per hour is normally the same as for a full time worker in the same job. Weekly pay is lower because you work fewer hours.
Benefits may depend on hours. Ask your employer which weekly total unlocks health cover, leave or a pension, because each one can use a different line.
To turn a salary into an hourly rate, use the salary to hourly calculator.
How To Track Part Time Hours
- Log each shift on the day, with the start, end and unpaid break.
- Add up the week and compare it with the weekly total in your contract.
- Check the total against any benefit line your employer has given you.
- Keep a saved copy of weeks near a threshold, such as 29 and 30 hours.
Questions People Ask
How many hours is part time?
There is no single legal number. Part time means fewer hours than full time at your employer, which is under 40 at most US jobs and under 38 in Australia.
How many hours a week is part time in the US?
There is no federal definition. For the health care mandate the IRS treats 30 hours a week as full time, so under 30 is part time for that rule.
Is 30 hours a week part time?
It depends on the purpose. It is full time for the IRS health care rule and part time at an employer whose full time week is 40.
Is 20 hours a week part time?
Yes. Twenty hours is half of a 40 hour week, and under every full time standard in this guide.
How many hours a year is part time?
At 20 hours a week it is 1,040 hours over 52 weeks, or about 86.7 hours a month.
Sources
- IRS, Employer Shared Responsibility
- GOV.UK, maximum weekly working hours
- Canada.ca, hours of work
- Fair Work Ombudsman, maximum weekly hours
Written and checked by the countmyworkhours.com team. How we calculate