Wages for domestic workers have increased, but at a slower pace, the ILO report says

Fifteen years after the adoption of the International Labor Organisation’s (ILO’s) Domestic Workers Convention, new International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates published in Geneva on Tuesday (27 October 2026) showed progress in reducing informality among domestic workers in many countries. A statistical report from the ILO stated that more than four out of five domestic workers around the world still work informally, often without effective labor and social protection. He added that nominal wages for domestic workers have increased in India, but wages for other workers have grown significantly faster.

Comment | We need a law to protect domestic workers

The report said the gap widened in many countries as wages for other workers rose faster than wages for domestic workers. “This pattern is visible in several influential countries in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. India is an important example: nominal wages for domestic workers have risen, but wages for other workers have grown significantly faster,” he added.

Globally, domestic workers earn an average of 61.2% of the monthly wages of other workers. “The ratio is significantly higher for men, 73.1%, than for women, 55.3%. Among domestic workers in informal employment, it drops to 58.1%,” he said. Citing data for 2019 and 2025, the report noted a widening relative wage gap. “Evidence at the country level suggests that wages of domestic workers have often increased, but generally less rapidly than wages of other workers, particularly in India,” he said.

According to the ILO Statistical Review, an estimated 80 million people aged 15 and over are employed as domestic workers worldwide, up from 75.6 million in 2019. “However, the share of domestic work remains relatively stable at 2.2% of total employment and 4.4% of the workforce,” suggesting that global increases in other specific areas reflect relative employment growth in other specific regions rather than broader growth in domestic employment. he said.

Also read | Forum calls for better conditions for domestic workers

Informality in domestic work decreased or remained stable in 91 of the 140 countries with comparable data for 2019 and 2025. “These countries account for almost 70% of domestic workers worldwide. The remaining 49 countries, which account for around 30% of domestic workers, saw an increase in the share of informality,” the ILO said, noting that despite this progress, an estimated 1.5 million domestics, or 8 of global domestic workers.3 workforce, remain in informal employment without effective labor and social protection. “The global figures largely reflect a growing concentration of domestic workers in countries where informality remains persistently high, rather than a widespread deterioration in working conditions in the sector,” he added.

Published – 27 Oct 2026 22:26 IST