Singapore workers take most leave in Asia-Pacific, study shows

Workers show strong utilisation rates and preference for short leave blocks.

Singapore workers took a median of 19 days of annual leave in 2025, the highest in Asia-Pacific (APAC), according to an analysis by payroll and HR platform Deel.

The findings placed Hong Kong second at 16.5 days, followed by Australia at 16 days, despite Australian workers’ higher statutory entitlement of 20 days.

Singapore also led in leave utilisation, with 77.5% of workers using at least 80% of their annual leave entitlement with about 57% of employees using all their entitled vacation leave.

This compared with Hong Kong at 68.6%, Australia at 46.5%, and India at 29.9% using 80% of the allowable leave.

Deel said workers in Singapore and Hong Kong tended to take leave in shorter, more frequent blocks rather than extended periods, noting that 37.5% of HK workers’ multi-day leave requests were for two-day breaks.

The analysis found that long absences of 16 days or more were rare across the region, reflecting a preference for shorter breaks among surveyed workers.

Deel said the results highlight differences in how annual leave is used across APAC, including gaps between statutory entitlements and actual usage.

Lauren Thomas, economist at Deel, said the data suggests workers are taking leave whilst maintaining stable productivity patterns, particularly in markets with more flexible arrangements.

She added that systems that simplify leave management and payroll processes may influence how easily employees take time off.

The analysis was based on leave requests from more than 4,500 full-time workers on Deel contracts across Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, India and other Asia-Pacific markets in 2025.