The 14th edition of the report State of the Job Market in Spain by InfoJobs and Esade analyses demand and supply in 2023 and the link between them in terms of competition. It also addresses present-day issues such as market gaps and inequalities and changes to seasonal employment since Spain’s employment legislation was overhauled.

To be precise, InfoJobs recorded 2,514,196 vacancies in 2023, 9% lower than the 2022 figure but still amongst the highest on record, on a par with the 2019 figure and far higher than during the restrictions enforced in the pandemic (2020 and 2021). As regards applicants, 3,955,007 persons applied for at least one of these vacancies: an increase of 4% over 2022 and also a historic maximum.

“The volume of these figures provides rigorous, robust foundations for the transparency of this report,” explained Mónica Pérez, Director of Communication and Studies at InfoJobs. “The section on salaries is based on the wages given in almost 700,000 published vacancies, enabling a thorough analysis by industry, region or variables such as experience and the training with the highest salary prospects, all of which contribute to discussions, research and advancement of the job market in conjunction with public, private and academic institutions.”

“Data about the number of open-ended contracts reveal that the 2021 labor legislation overhaul has achieved one of its aims, i.e. encouraging open-ended rather than fixed-term contracts,” said Anna Ginès, professor at Esade Law School and director of the Esade Institute for Labor Studies. “But the job market still features considerable inequalities that must be reduced, such as more temporary employment amongst women than men (18.9% vs. 14.2% according to data by INE, Spain’s national statistics body, for the fourth quarter of 2023).

Vacancies and job seekers in 2023

The annual fall of 9% in vacancies advertised on InfoJobs is mirrored by the decrease of 11% in contracts recorded by SEPE (Spain’s state-run employment service). Against a backdrop of record employment figures in Spain, the data can be explained in both instances by the changes to employment legislation implemented in 2022 which put a stop to many types of temporary contracts. Indeed, 43% of the jobs advertised by InfoJobs in 2023 offered open-ended contracts (up 5% on 2022 and 100% on 2021). Additionally, in relative terms, the 54% increase in permanent seasonal vacancies – twenty times greater than the 9,597 recorded in 2021 – is far more striking. These two types of contract account for 51% of the contracts mentioned in vacancies on the InfoJobs portal: ten points above the 41% of open-ended contracts offered from day one of recruitment according to SEPE.

The numbers of vacancies by industry in 2023 and 2022 are very similar, whilst in terms of volume, the five main categories remain the same: commerce and sales (19% of the total); purchasing, logistics and warehouse (12%); customer service (12%); professions, arts and trades (11%); and tourism and restaurants (10%). Of these, the growth in quality, production and R&D is noteworthy, with vacancies tripling those of 2020 (in 2023, they increased by 36%), although the open-ended contract imposed by the employment law overhaul has not had such a great impact as in other categories: six out of ten jobs advertised in this industry positions still offer fixed-term contracts. Operator is, once again, the type of job with the most vacancies, accounting for a total of 231,408 in 2023, followed by real estate agent (109,816), warehouse worker (106,954), shop assistant (100,772), and sales representative (88,948).

As for applicants, certain trends can be seen in terms of numbers by industry. Customer service (18%), tourism and hospitality (10%), purchasing, logistics and warehousing (10%), commerce and sales (8%), and healthcare and health (8%) are the categories with the most job applicants. The number of people who applied for at least one vacancy in InfoJobs in 2023 increased by 134,643, half of whom had not studied beyond A-levels, although university studies and vocational training continue to be the two most common academic levels.

Main inequalities in the job market

The analysis of applicants by InfoJobs and Esade also revealed that there are more female than male applicants and that women tend to have higher levels of education: they account for 61% of applicants with higher education qualifications. Women are the majority in all but two university studies: long and short engineering degrees.

Age discrimination is another source of inequality in the job market that affects two age groups: young people and senior talent, although InfoJobs has recorded a steady increase in the number of the youngest applicants (18-24 years old), up 18% compared to 2021, as a result of which the weight of this segment of InfoJobs applicants has increased from 24% to 26%. Senior talent on the other hand is affected by age discrimination from the age of 45.

The third inequality concerns qualifications. In this respect, in the area of revamped vocational training, the increase in the numbers of applicants having studied beyond school-leaving age and the acquisition of skills, particularly digital skills, are crucial for improved job prospects and working conditions.

Education is the main salary factor

The average gross annual wage of vacancies advertised on InfoJobs in 2023 was €26,245 (2%, i.e., €400, higher than in 2022). Wages have steadily increased in recent years, except during the imbalance caused by the pandemic restrictions in 2021, although high rates of inflation in the last two years have undeniably curtailed purchasing power.

The average salary climbs to €28,483 if only vacancies offering open-ended contracts are taken into account; to €32,503 if fluency in English is required; and to €39,971, if a university degree is also needed. If working from home is also added to these factors, the average rises to €44,871 and if in addition a vacancy calls for five years of experience, the wage on offer hits €62,644.

IT and telecommunications is once again the industry offering the highest wages: €33,930 gross per year, followed by commerce and sales, engineering and technical fields, education and training, and real estate and construction. In terms of jobs, those in the field of IT and telecommunications command the highest average salaries.