GENEVA – A new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO), released on October 27, 2026, highlights a concerning trend: the wage growth of domestic workers worldwide continues to lag significantly behind that of other employees. The report emphasizes the pervasive informality within the sector, with a vast majority of these workers lacking effective labor and social protection.
According to the ILO's findings, domestic workers earn, on average, just 53.3% of the monthly wage of other employees. This gap is even wider for informal domestic workers, who earn only 48.7%. The report also notes that 35.2% of domestic workers work at least 49 hours per week in their primary job, often for disproportionately lower pay.
India: A Key Example of Widening Wage Gaps
India is cited as a significant example where the nominal wages for domestic workers have increased, but at a considerably slower pace than those for other employees. This has resulted in a widening relative wage gap, particularly affecting women, in Asia and the Pacific, and in lower-middle-income countries.
The report, published 15 years after the adoption of the ILO Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), acknowledges some progress in reducing informality in certain countries. However, the global picture remains stark.
Millions Without Protection
Globally, an estimated 66.5 million domestic workers, representing 83.1% of the total domestic workforce, are still engaged in informal employment. This figure marks an increase of 5.1 million informal workers since 2019, underscoring the ongoing challenges in formalizing the sector and extending basic labor rights.
Asia and the Pacific hosts the largest share of these workers, accounting for 40.2 million individuals, roughly half of the global total.
“Progress in many countries shows that change is possible. But with more than 66 million domestic workers still in informal employment and their wages falling further behind those of other employees, much more needs to be done,” said Patrick Belser, Chief of the Informal Work Branch at the ILO.
The ILO’s analysis calls for renewed efforts from governments, employers, and worker organizations to ensure domestic workers receive fair wages, social security, and safe working conditions, moving them out of the shadows of informal employment.