Timee Releases Spot Work Market Quarterly Report (Q1 2026 Edition)
Timee published its Q1 2026 spot work market report, showing that the average hourly wage in major cities reached 1,230 yen, with notable growth in agriculture and nursing care sectors.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 11, 2026 at 00:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 11, 2026 at 00:21
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 05:05 (220h 43m after Collected)
Timee, Inc. (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Ryo Ogawa), provider of the gig work service "Timee," has released the "Spot Work Market Quarterly Report (Q1 2026 Edition)." Based on job posting data listed on Timee to date, the report calculates figures such as the number of job postings at the time of offer, average hourly wages, and average working hours by occupation for the three major metropolitan areas and other regions.
## Survey Digest
- The average spot work hourly wage in the three major metropolitan areas for Q1 2026 (November 2025 - January 2026) was 1,230 yen (+4.6% year-on-year).
- The total number of spot work job postings nationwide in Q1 2026 (November 2025 - January 2026) was 4.121 million (+17.4% year-on-year).
- The total cumulative working hours (actual operations) in Q1 2026 (November 2025 - January 2026) were 28.09 million hours (+15.5% year-on-year).
- The total amount of wages paid (actual) in Q1 2026 (November 2025 - January 2026) was 33.7 billion yen (+20.3% year-on-year).
## Survey Summary
### Average hourly wage in major cities grows by +4.6%; job postings in nursing care and agriculture continue to rise
According to data from the first quarter of 2026 (November 2025 to January 2026), the average hourly wage in the three major metropolitan areas was 1,230 yen, representing a 4.6% increase compared to the same period last year. Over the past year, the year-on-year growth rate has been around 3%, but recently it has accelerated to over 4%. Many prefectures implemented their largest-ever minimum wage revisions (national weighted average +6.3%) in October 2025, which appears to have raised the wage level for this period, which includes many months post-revision. Based on typical annual trends, it is highly likely that this level of growth will continue throughout the year. Looking at the wage growth rate by occupation (national basis), "Agricultural occupations" (+7.4% year-on-year), "Sales and marketing-related clerical occupations" (+7.1%), and "Other security occupations" (+7.0%) showed high growth, while the growth of "General clerical occupations" (+0.9%) was limited.
Regarding the number of job postings nationwide, the total exceeded the 4 million mark, reaching 4.121 million in the first quarter of 2026 (November 2025 to January 2026). The year-on-year growth rate was +17.4%, which is a contraction from the +21.2% seen in the previous quarter (August to October 2025). A characteristic trend by region is the continued high growth rate outside the three major metropolitan areas (+22.8% year-on-year), indicating the progressing penetration of spot work in regional areas. Looking at the number of postings by occupation, "Transportation occupations" (+22.3%) and "Product sales occupations" (+16.7%) drove the overall increase. The occupation with the next largest increase in postings was "Nursing care service occupations" (+89.6%). Coupled with the fact that the growth of "Customer service and serving occupations" (+2.5%) contracted from the previous term, there is also a slight shift in the drivers of growth. Another notable feature is the rapid and continuous expansion in the number of postings for "Agricultural occupations," which rose by 163.6% year-on-year. Similarly rapidly growing "Nursing care service occupations" have a large number of postings in the three major metropolitan areas, whereas "Agricultural occupations" have a large number of postings in regional areas outside the major cities.
The total cumulative working hours (actual operations) for the first quarter of 2026 (November 2025 to January 2026) were 28.09 million hours. This represents a 15.5% increase from the same period last year. As the degree of market maturity increases...
## Survey Digest
- The average spot work hourly wage in the three major metropolitan areas for Q1 2026 (November 2025 - January 2026) was 1,230 yen (+4.6% year-on-year).
- The total number of spot work job postings nationwide in Q1 2026 (November 2025 - January 2026) was 4.121 million (+17.4% year-on-year).
- The total cumulative working hours (actual operations) in Q1 2026 (November 2025 - January 2026) were 28.09 million hours (+15.5% year-on-year).
- The total amount of wages paid (actual) in Q1 2026 (November 2025 - January 2026) was 33.7 billion yen (+20.3% year-on-year).
## Survey Summary
### Average hourly wage in major cities grows by +4.6%; job postings in nursing care and agriculture continue to rise
According to data from the first quarter of 2026 (November 2025 to January 2026), the average hourly wage in the three major metropolitan areas was 1,230 yen, representing a 4.6% increase compared to the same period last year. Over the past year, the year-on-year growth rate has been around 3%, but recently it has accelerated to over 4%. Many prefectures implemented their largest-ever minimum wage revisions (national weighted average +6.3%) in October 2025, which appears to have raised the wage level for this period, which includes many months post-revision. Based on typical annual trends, it is highly likely that this level of growth will continue throughout the year. Looking at the wage growth rate by occupation (national basis), "Agricultural occupations" (+7.4% year-on-year), "Sales and marketing-related clerical occupations" (+7.1%), and "Other security occupations" (+7.0%) showed high growth, while the growth of "General clerical occupations" (+0.9%) was limited.
Regarding the number of job postings nationwide, the total exceeded the 4 million mark, reaching 4.121 million in the first quarter of 2026 (November 2025 to January 2026). The year-on-year growth rate was +17.4%, which is a contraction from the +21.2% seen in the previous quarter (August to October 2025). A characteristic trend by region is the continued high growth rate outside the three major metropolitan areas (+22.8% year-on-year), indicating the progressing penetration of spot work in regional areas. Looking at the number of postings by occupation, "Transportation occupations" (+22.3%) and "Product sales occupations" (+16.7%) drove the overall increase. The occupation with the next largest increase in postings was "Nursing care service occupations" (+89.6%). Coupled with the fact that the growth of "Customer service and serving occupations" (+2.5%) contracted from the previous term, there is also a slight shift in the drivers of growth. Another notable feature is the rapid and continuous expansion in the number of postings for "Agricultural occupations," which rose by 163.6% year-on-year. Similarly rapidly growing "Nursing care service occupations" have a large number of postings in the three major metropolitan areas, whereas "Agricultural occupations" have a large number of postings in regional areas outside the major cities.
The total cumulative working hours (actual operations) for the first quarter of 2026 (November 2025 to January 2026) were 28.09 million hours. This represents a 15.5% increase from the same period last year. As the degree of market maturity increases...