Spain's precarious workers miss vacations as holiday rights differ worldwide

A 2026 FOESSA report shows that 47.5% of Spain’s active population – about 11.5 million people – are in precarious employment, limiting their ability to take paid holidays. The report notes that many of these workers support sectors that rely on tourism, hospitality and leisure, yet cannot themselves enjoy the right to rest.

By contrast, vacation entitlements vary sharply across other nations. France guarantees at least five weeks of paid leave and sees a nationwide slowdown in August. Italy observes the traditional Ferragosto holiday on 15 August, while Swedish firms often scale back in July so employees can use their “semester.” In Japan, although statutory paid leave exists, cultural pressure means many workers forgo it; OECD data places Japan among the lowest users of entitled vacation days. These differences highlight how labour market conditions and cultural norms shape access to rest worldwide.