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In 2022, 24 million people worked under a temporary contract in the EU (12% of total employed people aged 15-64). Among them, one-fourth (6 million) were aged 15-29 and no longer in formal education (23% of total employed people aged 15-29 not participating in formal education). 

There were significant variations in the share of employed people aged 15-29 not participating in formal education with temporary contracts in EU countries. The highest share of temporary workers in this category was recorded in Portugal (40 %), followed by Spain (39%) and Italy (38%). On the other end, the lowest shares were recorded in Lithuania and Latvia (both 3%), Romania (4%) and Estonia (5%).

 

Source dataset:  LFS ad-hoc extraction

Impact of education level and parenthood

The shares of temporary workers among employed men and women aged 25-64 vary by education level and presence of children. The 25-64 age group is considered, to enable comparison across education levels.

The highest share of temporary workers in this group was found among women with a low level of education and children (18%). Three categories rank second: men and women with a low level of education and without children as well as women with a high level of education and without children (all 13%). 

 

Bar graph: Temporary employment by sex, level of education and presence of children, EU, in % of total employed people aged 25-64, 2022

Source dataset:  LFS ad-hoc extraction

 

In contrast, the lowest shares were recorded among men with a high level of education and children (4%) and men with a medium level of education and children (6%). 

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Methodological notes

  • Temporary employment: work under a fixed-term contract. A job may be considered temporary employment (and its holder a temporary employee) if both employer and employee agree that its end is decided by objective rules (usually written down in a work contract of limited life). These rules can be a specific date, the end of a task, or the return of another employee who has been temporarily replaced.
  • Participation in education: participation in formal education and training (student or apprentice) in the last 4 weeks.
  • Educational attainment levels are classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED): low level of education refers to ISCED levels 0-2 (less than primary, primary and lower secondary education), medium to ISCED levels 3 and 4 (upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education) and high to ISCED levels 5-8 (tertiary education). The level of educational attainment means the highest level of education successfully completed.

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