【An Average of 1.9 Days Working from Home per Week! Canada Ranks #1 Globally for Remote Work Hours】
According to the latest global survey released by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, Canadians work from home an average of 1.9 days per week, placing them at the top of the world for remote work hours.
The large-scale survey covered 16,000 respondents across 40 countries, focusing exclusively on individuals with a post-secondary education or higher. Researchers noted this group was selected because they are more likely to hold jobs that allow for remote work.
UK, Finland, and the US Close Behind
The study found that Canada leads with 1.9 remote workdays per week on average. Following closely are the UK, Finland, the US, Germany, and China. European countries such as Portugal, Hungary, and the Netherlands also ranked high.
Regionally, English-speaking countries—Canada, the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland—had the highest prevalence of remote work, averaging 1.5 to 2 remote days per week.
In contrast, countries like Greece, China, Japan, and South Korea reported significantly lower levels of remote work.
Parents Prefer Hybrid Work Models
The survey also revealed that although global remote work hours declined slightly in 2023 compared to 2022, the levels are expected to stabilize between 2024 and 2025.
Respondents with children were more inclined toward a hybrid work model—splitting time between home and office—while those without children tended to prefer either fully remote or fully in-office work. Globally, the proportion of men and women working from home was similar, but mothers showed a stronger preference for remote work.
The survey was conducted online between November 2024 and February 2025 by market research firm Bilendi, using samples from North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.
Flexibility Tops the List for Canadians
An earlier survey in October 2024, commissioned by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and conducted by sparkinsights*, showed that 81% of Canadian respondents found remote work beneficial, with approximately 66% saying it improved their productivity.
“Remote work is not only convenient—it’s common sense,” the report stated. Only 15% of respondents expressed a preference for primarily working in the office.
The report also highlighted that respondents felt remote work enhanced their creativity, enthusiasm, happiness, and overall work engagement.
According to data from Statistics Canada, productivity in the federal public service increased by 4.5% between 2019 and 2023 during the period when remote work was widely implemented.
