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Posted on 03/09/2026 11:45:28 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Concept image illustrating the gender pay gap with male and female figures standing on stacks of coins.
New data shows women in Spain still earn significantly less than men, highlighting the ongoing gender pay gap. Credit : Andrey_Popov, Shutterstock
Women in Spain are effectively working nearly 69 days a year without pay compared with men, according to a new labour market report released this week. The figure highlights how the gender pay gap – despite years of policy changes and growing awareness – still affects millions of workers across the country.
The analysis, published by the Spanish trade union USO (Unión Sindical Obrera), estimates that women earn around 18.8 per cent less than men on average. When translated into working time, that difference is equivalent to more than two months of unpaid work each year compared with male colleagues.
The findings arrive as Spain, like many countries, marks International Women’s Day, a moment often used to reflect on both progress and the inequalities that remain. And while many things have changed in the Spanish workplace over the past two decades, the data suggests that the road to full pay equality is still a long one.
For many people living and working in Spain – including thousands of expats – the report offers a snapshot of how the country’s labour market still operates behind the scenes.
Gender pay gap in Spain remains close to 19%
The report, titled “Gender Pay Gap by Productive Sectors”, was prepared by consultancy Syndex for USO. It analyses wage data across different industries and income levels in Spain.
According to the findings, the average annual salary in Spain is around €24,962, but the gap between men and women remains significant.
On average:
Men earn around €27,411 per year
Women earn about €22,255 per year
That difference means women earn almost one fifth less than men, even though the gap has gradually narrowed in recent years.
When those salary differences are converted into working time, the picture becomes more striking. Women effectively work around 69 days each year without pay compared with men, simply because their average wages are lower.
The report highlights that this gap is not just about individual salaries but reflects deeper structural patterns within the labour market.
Most women earn well below higher salary brackets One of the most revealing aspects of the study is how income is distributed across different pay levels.
The figures show that a large proportion of women remain concentrated in lower-paid jobs.
According to the data:
43 per cent of women earn less than Spain’s annual minimum wage
66 per cent earn less than 1.5 times the minimum wage
By comparison, men are more likely to reach higher income brackets. Only 1.8 per cent of women earn more than five times the minimum wage, while 3.2 per cent of men fall into that top category.
In other words, the issue is not only that women earn less on average, but that fewer women reach the highest-paying roles in the labour market.
Why the pay gap still exists
Experts say the reasons behind the gap are complex and tied to how the labour market is structured.
One major factor is the sectors where women are more likely to work. Many female workers are employed in service industries such as hospitality, retail, care services or cleaning – jobs that tend to offer lower wages than sectors like technology, engineering or finance.
Another key factor is part-time work. Women are far more likely than men to work reduced hours, often because of family responsibilities or childcare. While part-time roles offer flexibility, they also tend to mean lower income and fewer opportunities for promotion.
Career interruptions can also play a role. Time spent caring for children or relatives can slow career progression and reduce lifetime earnings.
Finally, there is still a noticeable gender imbalance in leadership roles. Senior management and executive positions – which typically come with higher salaries and bonuses – remain dominated by men in many industries.
What this means for expats working in Spain For international professionals living in Spain, the findings provide useful context about the local job market.
Spain has introduced several measures in recent years aimed at tackling wage inequality. Companies above a certain size are now required to create equality plans and monitor salary differences between male and female employees. Some firms also publish gender pay gap data to increase transparency.
But the reality on the ground can still vary significantly depending on the sector and the company.
For female expats working in Spain, the report highlights the importance of salary negotiation, career planning and understanding workplace policies. Many international companies operating in Spain follow stricter global equality standards, which can help reduce disparities.
At the same time, awareness of pay gaps has increased across Spanish society, particularly among younger workers who are demanding greater transparency from employers.
International Women’s Day highlights unfinished work
International Women’s Day, celebrated every year on March 8, began as a movement focused on labour rights and equality in the workplace. Over time, it has become a global moment to reflect on gender equality more broadly.
In Spain, the date often brings debates about employment conditions, wages and career opportunities for women.
The USO report shows that while legal protections and public awareness have improved, economic inequality still persists in subtle ways across many sectors.
The challenge now, many experts say, is moving beyond policies and statistics towards real cultural change in the workplace.
Because behind the numbers lies a simple reality: millions of women in Spain are still effectively working almost two months of the year without pay compared with men.
And until that gap closes, the conversation around equality in the workplace is unlikely to fade anytime soon.
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Slackers...
THOSE ARE THE DAYS WE’RE OUTSIDE MOWING THE LAWN FIXING THE GUTTERS, CHANGING THE OIL, etc. etc. etc..
more stupid liberal propaganda
Do they earn less pay for the same jobs and at the same level of performance? Somehow I doubt it.
well golllley
they should all quit
stay home and wash the sheets
Being a bordering socialist country, I can image Spain has some pretty generous paid family leave policies in place. That means that a lot of the hours that women get paid for are unproductive paid-time-off hours.
That means that men effectively earn less.
Thomas Sowell addressed this question at least 30-ish years ago. This is complete B.S.
If women would work for that much less than men, someone would set up competing businesses and undercut the competition due to reduced labor costs. They don’t so no one does.
I am divorced.
Life is too damn short to argue about taking out the trash and doing laundry.
Funny how the “dirty jobs” Mike Rowe famously documented had very few women working at them . . .
Despite the fact that many of those dirty jobs pay quite well.
Just wait till the islamist get full control in Spain. 69 will turn into 72 virgins.
Duh.
If women were really getting paid 20% less for the same work, every employer would immediately replace all their male employees with women.
That’s not happening, so obviously the premium men are paid is worth every penny.
1. Nobody ever gets paid what they’re worth, they get paid what they can negotiate. If your negotiating skills are substandard, that’s a lick on you.
2. Chattel slavery in the USA ended a long, long time ago. Nobody’s making you work anywhere. If you don’t like the job you have now, get off your lazy bum and go find one that suits you better.
3. Objective and comprehensive studies applying academic rigor have found that based on time on the job, women tend to be paid MORE than men. Women who make less than men tend to have opted out of the workforce from time to time.
https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/04/google-found-it-paid-men-less-than-women-for-the-same-job/
The workforce would be all women
And nothing would get done because they would all be bitching and blaming each other.
Good point. How many months of the year do all of us work for free, using this reasoning, to pay our taxes?
So your banking around a million a month I s'pose.
Did the report cover sick days taken?
I seem to recall women taking a lot of them when I worked around a few.
Yeah, yeah. And we can do every dance move that Fred Astaire can do, backwards and in high heels, LOL!
I am a firm believer that a woman can have everything she wants and needs in life - you just can’t have it all AT ONCE!
And if making money is your thing, find the highest paid jobs out there and train for them! Quit b!tchin’!
I have always preferred making adequate money for my simple needs and having balance in my life. Your Mileage May Vary. We’re all built differently.
Yes, because the US and Europe has laws that mandate equal pay for men and women doing the same work.
EU law mandates equal pay for equal work or work of equal value for men and women, rooted in Article 157 TFEU. The 2023 Pay Transparency Directive strengthens this, forcing employers to disclose pay data, ban salary history questions, and correct gaps over 5% by June 7, 2026, or face sanction
Pant. Load.
Women take less skilled, more flexible jobs on the whole. Fact. That is why they make less.
$68.99 Today only!
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