Press Release: Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (QLCS). Third Quarter 2025.

Main results

The labour costs of companies increased by 3.0% compared with the same period of the previous year and stood at 3,111.76 per worker per month. The wage cost increased by 2.8%.
With calendar-adjusted and de-seasonalised results, the labour cost per worker increased by 3.0% annually and 0.8% quarterly.
The number of vacancies was 152,677 this quarter.

More information

Annex of tables (includes information from the Autonomous Communities)
Detailed results

Labour costs increased by 3.0% in the third quarter compared with the same period in 2024, to € 3,111.76 per worker per month. The wage cost increased by 2.8% to 2.268 euros and other costs by 3.5%. Mandatory Social Security contributions, the main component of other costs, increased by 3.6%.

Total labour cost

Annual variation rate. Percentage

Labour costs per worker per month. Third quarter of 2025

¹Compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

Labour costs per hour. Third quarter of 2025

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 3.0% this quarter compared to the same period of the previous year, and 0.8% compared with the previous quarter.

Labour costs per worker

Series adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects. Percentage

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Labour costs by activity sector

By sections of activity, the labour cost is highest in Administrative activities and auxiliary services, and Professional, scientific and technical activities. In contrast, the steepest decline was recorded in Arts, entertainment and recreation.

Labour costs per worker per month. Third quarter of 2025

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Labour cost by Autonomous Community

Illes Balears, Castilla y León, and Extremadura saw the highest increases in labour costs this quarter.

On the other hand, labour costs fell in the Region of Murcia.

Vacancies

The number of vacancies stood at 152,677 in the third quarter, 2,136 more than in the same quarter the previous year.

Number of vacancies

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88.3% of vacancies were found in the Services sector this quarter.

Vacancies by sector. Third quarter of 2025

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The Autonomous Communities registering the greatest number of vacancies were Comunidad de Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia. Meanwhile, those with the fewest vacancies were La Rioja, Extremadura and Principado de Asturias.

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.