Press Release: Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (QLCS). Fourth Quarter 2024.

Main Results

The labour cost of companies increased by 3.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared with the same period of the previous year and stood at 3,258.14 per worker per month. The wage cost increased by 3.5%.
With calendar-adjusted and deseasonalised results, the labour cost per worker increased by 3.7% annually and 0.6% quarterly.
The number of vacancies was 148,018 this quarter.

More information

Annex with tables (Includes information from the Autonomous Communities)
Detailed results

The labour cost increased by 3.6% in the fourth quarter compared to the same period of 2023, to 3.258,14 euros per worker per month. The wage cost increased by 3.5% to 2.442,32 euros and other costs by 3.7%. Mandatory Social Security contributions, the main component of other costs, increased by 4.0%.

Total labour cost

Annual variation rate. Percentage

Labour cost per worker per month. Fourth quarter 2024

¹Compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

Labour cost per hour. Fourth quarter 2024

¹Compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

Series adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects

The labour cost per worker, excluding seasonal and calendar effects, increased by 3.7% this quarter compared to the same period of the previous year, and 0.6% compared to the previous quarter.

Labour cost per worker

Series adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects. Percentage

{
  "mode": "chart",
  "type": "lineasprensa",
  "width": "170mm",
  "height": "110mm",
  "legend": true,
  "valueAxis": false,
  "tags": true,
  "series": [
    { "label": "Quarterly variation rate" },
    { "label": "Annual variation rate" }
  ],
  "ticks": [
    "2021 I",
    "2021 II",
    "2021 III",
    "2021 IV",
    "2022 I",
    "2022 II",
    "2022 III",
    "2022 IV",
    "2023 I",
    "2023 II",
    "2023 III",
    "2023 IV",
    "2024 I",
    "2024 II",
    "2024 III",
    "2024 IV"
  ],
  "values": [
    [
      "1.1",
      "1.4",
      "0.8",
      "1.1",
      "1.0",
      "1.0",
      "1.3",
      "1.1",
      "2.3",
      "1.0",
      "0.8",
      "1.1",
      "1.0",
      "1.0",
      "1.1",
      "0.6"
    ],
    [
      "1.3",
      "13.1",
      "5.0",
      "4.5",
      "4.4",
      "3.9",
      "4.4",
      "4.3",
      "5.7",
      "5.7",
      "5.2",
      "5.3",
      "3.9",
      "3.9",
      "4.3",
      "3.7"
    ]
  ],
  "ratioMargen": 0.05,
  "angleTick": "-90",
  "angleTag": "0",
  "fillToZero": false,
  "colors": [
    "#457E76",
    "#A45C0A",
    "#0071AD",
    "#756F0F",
    "#C33C9D",
    "#677746"
  ]
}

Labour cost by activity sector

By activity sectors, labour costs recorded their largest increases in Mining and Quarrying Industries and in Finance and Insurance Activities. In contrast, the smallest increase was recorded in Construction.

Labour cost per worker per month. Fourth quarter 2024

{
  "mode": "table",
  "category": [
    "Euros",
    "Annual variation rate",
    "B. Mining and quarrying",
    "K. Financial and insurance ...",
    "S. Other services",
    "R. Arts, entertainment and ...",
    "M. Professional, scientific ...",
    "I. Accommodation",
    "L. Real state activities",
    "Q. Health and social services ...",
    "P. Education",
    "H. Transport and storage",
    "J. Information and communications",
    "C. Manufacturing industries",
    "Total activities",
    "E. Water supply, waste management ...",
    "G. Wholesale and retail ...",
    "O. Public Administration ...",
    "D. Electricity, gas, steam ...",
    "N. Administrative and support ...",
    "F. Construction"
  ],
  "ids": [
    "table_1_Euros",
    "table_1_Annual_variation_rate",
    "table_1_B__Mining_and_quarrying",
    "table_1_K__Financial_and_insurance_...",
    "table_1_S__Other_services",
    "table_1_R__Arts_entertainment_and_...",
    "table_1_M__Professional_scientific_...",
    "table_1_I__Accommodation",
    "table_1_L__Real_state_activities",
    "table_1_Q__Health_and_social_services_...",
    "table_1_P__Education",
    "table_1_H__Transport_and_storage",
    "table_1_J__Information_and_communications",
    "table_1_C__Manufacturing_industries",
    "table_1_Total_activities",
    "table_1_E__Water_supply_waste_management_...",
    "table_1_G__Wholesale_and_retail_...",
    "table_1_O__Public_Administration_...",
    "table_1_D__Electricity_gas_steam_...",
    "table_1_N__Administrative_and_support_...",
    "table_1_F__Construction"
  ],
  "col": [
    [
      "0"
    ],
    [
      "1"
    ]
  ],
  "row": [
    [
      "2"
    ],
    [
      "3"
    ],
    [
      "4"
    ],
    [
      "5"
    ],
    [
      "6"
    ],
    [
      "7"
    ],
    [
      "8"
    ],
    [
      "9"
    ],
    [
      "10"
    ],
    [
      "11"
    ],
    [
      "12"
    ],
    [
      "13"
    ],
    [
      "14"
    ],
    [
      "15"
    ],
    [
      "16"
    ],
    [
      "17"
    ],
    [
      "18"
    ],
    [
      "19"
    ],
    [
      "20"
    ]
  ],
  "data": [
    "4,893.72",
    "7.7",
    "5,824.75",
    "7.1",
    "2,339.80",
    "6.3",
    "2,352.77",
    "6.1",
    "4,105.89",
    "4.8",
    "1,966.05",
    "4.4",
    "3,243.54",
    "4.4",
    "3,399.24",
    "4.2",
    "3,104.18",
    "4.2",
    "3,421.00",
    "4.1",
    "4,760.37",
    "4.0",
    "3,737.95",
    "3.7",
    "3,258.14",
    "3.6",
    "3,518.41",
    "3.4",
    "2,863.61",
    "3.0",
    "4,190.95",
    "2.9",
    "6,381.84",
    "2.7",
    "2,250.01",
    "2.2",
    "3,242.31",
    "0.8"
  ],
  "textLad": [
    ""
  ],
  "title": "",
  "leftSideCols": 1,
  "rowsHeader": 1
}

Labour cost by Autonomous Community

Extremadura, Región de Murcia and Principado de Asturias saw the highest increases in labour cost this quarter.

On the other hand, Cantabria, País Vasco and Aragón recorded the lowest increases.

Job vacancies

The number of vacancies stood at 148,018 in the fourth quarter, 1.203 more than in the same quarter of the previous year.

Number of vacancies

{
  "mode": "chart",
  "type": "barrasprensa",
  "width": "170mm",
  "height": "80mm",
  "legend": false,
  "valueAxis": false,
  "tags": true,
  "series": [
    { "label": "Total Vacancies" }
  ],
  "ticks": [
    "2021 I",
    "2021 II",
    "2021 III",
    "2021 IV",
    "2022 I",
    "2022 II",
    "2022 III",
    "2022 IV",
    "2023 I",
    "2023 II",
    "2023 III",
    "2023 IV",
    "2024 I",
    "2024 II",
    "2024 III",
    "2024 IV"
  ],
  "values": [
    [
      "100041",
      "119212",
      "118888",
      "109085",
      "133988",
      "145053",
      "143876",
      "140517",
      "149645",
      "148091",
      "155797",
      "139314",
      "149962",
      "151379",
      "150541",
      "148018"
    ]
  ],
  "ratioMargen": 0.8,
  "angleTick": "-90",
  "angleTag": "0",
  "fillToZero": true,
  "colors": [
    "#457E76",
    "#A45C0A",
    "#0071AD",
    "#756F0F",
    "#C33C9D",
    "#677746"
  ],
  "config": {
    "marcaTick": {
      "color": "#9e1834",
      "value": "2024 IV"
    }
  }
}

90.2% of vacancies were found in the Services sector this quarter.

Vacancies by sector. Fourth quarter 2024

{
  "mode": "table",
  "category": [
    "Total vacancies",
    "Percentage",
    "Reasons why vacancies do not exist (percent distribution)",
    "Total",
    "No more workers needed",
    "High hiring cost",
    "Other",
    "TOTAL",
    "Other",
    "Construction",
    "Services"
  ],
  "ids": [
    "table_1_Total_vacancies",
    "table_1_Percentage",
    "table_1_Reasons_why_vacancies_do_not_exist_(percent_distribution)",
    "",
    "",
    "",
    "",
    "",
    "table_1_Total",
    "table_1_No_more_workers_needed",
    "table_1_High_hiring_cost",
    "table_1_Other",
    "table_1_TOTAL",
    "table_1_Other",
    "table_1_Construction",
    "table_1_Services"
  ],
  "col": [
    [
      "0",
      ""
    ],
    [
      "1",
      ""
    ],
    [
      "2",
      "3"
    ],
    [
      "",
      "4"
    ],
    [
      "",
      "5"
    ],
    [
      "",
      "6"
    ]
  ],
  "row": [
    [
      "7"
    ],
    [
      "8"
    ],
    [
      "9"
    ],
    [
      "10"
    ]
  ],
  "data": [
    "148,018",
    "100.0",
    "100.0",
    "92.0",
    "4.8",
    "3.2",
    "9,834",
    "6.6",
    "100.0",
    "92.4",
    "3.3",
    "4.3",
    "4,611",
    "3.1",
    "100.0",
    "89.2",
    "5.9",
    "4.8",
    "133,574",
    "90.2",
    "100.0",
    "92.3",
    "4.8",
    "2.9"
  ],
  "textLad": [
    "",
    ""
  ],
  "title": "",
  "leftSideCols": 1,
  "rowsHeader": 2
}

The Autonomous Communities registering the greatest number of vacancies were Comunidad de Madrid, Cataluña and Andalucía. On the other hand, those with the fewest vacancies were La Rioja, Extremadura and Cantabria.

Revision and updating of data

The data published today are final. All results are available on INEbase.

Methodological note

The Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (ETCL) primarily aims to understand the evolution of the average labour cost per worker per month, the average labour cost per effective working hour, and time worked and not worked.

Furthermore, it is the primary source of information for the development of the Harmonised Labour Cost Index, which is part of the euro-indicators of the Statistical Office of the European Union (EUROSTAT).

Type of operation:: quarterly continuous survey.
Base year:: 2020.
Population scope:: Social Security contribution accounts. General Scheme: Sections B to S of CNAE-09 and Special Scheme for Seafarers: Sea Transport (Division 50 of CNAE-09).
Geographical scope:: the entire national territory.
Reference period of the results:: the calendar quarter.
Reference period of the information:: the calendar month.
Sample size:: 28,500 establishments, divided into three monthly sub-samples of 9,500 establishments each.
Sampling type:: stratified random with optimal allocation. Comprehensive survey for workplaces with more than 500 employees.
Collection method:: questionnaire filled in directly by the establishment.

More information on the methodology and the standardised methodological report.

INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and Code of Best Practices.