The Chilean government submitted a bill to Congress that extends cycles for averaging the 40-hour workweek, with a special regime for the tourism sector.
The bill, announced on July 13, 2026, establishes a general regime allowing the ordinary workday to be distributed over a cycle of up to 16 weeks. For tourism and related activities, a special regime creates cycles of up to 52 weeks.
Labor Minister Tomás Rau explained that the change aims to give adaptability to companies in seasonal sectors without altering the 40-hour workday. The mechanism requires a written agreement between the parties and a prior schedule.
Other modifications include raising the maximum consecutive Sundays that can be worked by annual agreement from 8 to 12 and increasing compensatory rest days for overtime from 5 to 10. Tourism Undersecretary María Paz Lagos noted that the measure will reduce the sector's 32% informality rate.
