Remote work and unlimited PTO aren’t creating a level playing field across the globe. Deel, the HR platform powering over 35,000 companies, is quantifying the disparities with a bold new editorial initiative, Deel Works, and its first research report analyzing more than 159,000 time-off requests from 17,000 employees in 2025.
The headline? Europeans take nearly 10 more days off than North Americans—and Canadians are falling shortest globally.
Unlimited PTO Isn’t Equal Everywhere
Contrary to the “unlimited PTO = more vacation” assumption, cultural context matters. In North America, where two-thirds of employees have access to unlimited leave, the actual time off barely exceeds that of fixed PTO policies. Europeans, by contrast, capitalize on flexibility—taking a median of four extra days with unlimited policies compared to fixed leave.
“Cultural differences like these reflect more than vacation plans—they reveal fundamental differences in work-life balance,” said Deel’s economist Lauren Thomas, who led the study.
Canada Falls Behind; Sweden Leads
The data paints a stark picture:
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Canada: 11 days median time off
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US: 16 days
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Germany: 26 days
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France: 27 days
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Sweden: 28 days
Even within the same multinational companies, Europeans consistently take nearly 10 more days than their North American colleagues.
Alice Burks, Deel’s Director of People Success, notes, “The most flexible PTO policy fails without explicit permission to use it. HR leaders must align culture globally to make policies effective.”
Cultural Vacation Patterns Emerge
The analysis also uncovered notable patterns beyond sheer days off:
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Long-haul holidays: Germans and French favor extended leaves; 1.8% and 1.3% of requests exceed 16 days, versus 0.5% in the US
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Christmas traditions: UK and Ireland lead in holiday season time off, with 28.8% of Irish and 27% of British workers taking three or more days around Christmas
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Sick leave: French employees take longer sick leaves, with 23% exceeding 11 days, reflecting medical certification requirements
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North American trends: Only 29% took sick leave in 2025 versus 39% in Europe
These patterns reinforce that PTO behavior is not just a policy issue—it’s deeply cultural.
Deel Works: A Hub for Future-of-Work Insights
The launch of Deel Works signals Deel’s ambition to become the go-to resource for global workforce intelligence. Drawing on data from 1.5+ million workers across 150 countries, Deel Works will explore:
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AI’s real-time impact on hiring and workforce composition
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Immigration and relocation trends beyond government statistics
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Benefits and compensation patterns across geographies
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The real state of remote and global work
“Conversations about the future of work are happening faster than the data supporting them,” said Deel CEO Cunningham. “Deel Works provides rigorous, real-time analysis for HR and business leaders navigating remote work, AI, and global labor trends.”
For companies aiming to build policies that actually get used—and to understand regional work habits—Deel Works may quickly become a must-read.
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