[Research Report] Spot Work Job Availability Ratio Reaches 3.26x, Average Hourly Wage at ¥1,237
Tsuna-Gu Work Style Research Institute announced its February 2026 spot work market data report. The spot work job availability ratio reached 3.26 times, a significant year-on-year increase, but the average hourly wage was ¥1,237, ¥86 lower than regular part-time jobs. This market has rapidly expanded since the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to continue growing.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 23:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 15:02
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 15:13 (11 min after Collected)
Tsuna-Gu Work Style Research Institute (located in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Director: Hiroshi Ohno), an research institution for diverse work styles established by Tsuna-Gu Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and Executive Officer President: Mitsuhiro Yoneda), which provides RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) and recruitment consulting, publishes a monthly "Spot Work Market Data Report" that continuously observes the "short-term, single-task spot worker market," which has been expanding in recent years.
We are pleased to report on the latest data for February 2026.
Click here for report details.
【Topics】
1. The spot work job availability ratio is 3.26 times. A significant increase of 1.82 points from the same month last year.
2. Although the growth rate of work decreased from the previous month, warehouse and transportation sectors exceeded the same month last year.
3. The average hourly wage for spot work is ¥1,237. This is ¥86 lower than the average hourly wage for regular part-time jobs.
■1: Spot work job availability ratio is 3.26 times. A significant increase of 1.82 points from the same month last year.
The spot work job availability ratio for February 2026 was 3.26 times. It is typical for the number of spot work job postings to calm down in January and February, but the number of job postings decreased by 17.4% month-on-month, a drop of 5.99 points compared to December, when job demand peaks. On the other hand, it increased by 1.82 points year-on-year.
■2: Although the growth rate of work decreased from the previous month, warehouse and transportation sectors exceeded the same month last year.
The growth rate of work for February 2026 decreased by 17.4% month-on-month and increased by 2.5% year-on-year. Looking at job categories, "warehouse/light work" decreased by 24.1% month-on-month, "convenience store staff" by 14.0%, and "transport/driver" by 54.2%, with a particularly noticeable decrease in transport/driver. Meanwhile, year-on-year, the overall increase was only 2.5%, but "warehouse/light work" grew significantly by 41.8% and "transport/driver" by 125.4%.
■3: The average hourly wage for spot work is ¥1,237. This is ¥86 lower than the average hourly wage for regular part-time jobs.
The average hourly wage for spot work in February 2026 was ¥1,237, a decrease of ¥2 from the previous month and ¥65 from the same month last year. The average hourly wage for regular part-time jobs is ¥1,323 (according to Recruit's "Part-time Job Recruitment Average Hourly Wage Survey"), showing that regular part-time jobs are ¥86 higher when compared to the average hourly wage for spot work.
(Sources)
Spot job site "Shotworks" data from February 2022 to February 2026
Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications "Labor Force Survey (Detailed Tabulation) October-December 2025 Average"
Recruit "Part-time Job Recruitment Average Hourly Wage Survey"
*Notice of aggregation change
As of December 2025, the scope of aggregation has been changed as follows. Please note that there will be differences from the values in surveys up to November 2025.
・Before March 2025: Job postings published on "Shotworks"
・After April 2025: Job postings entered into "Shotworks" and "Shotworks Convenience"
■What is the Spot Work Market Data Report?
・Definition of the spot work market
Spot work refers to working short-term, single-task without continuous employment. It is classified into two types: "gig work" (no employment contract) and "single-task part-time" (short-term employment contract). (A representative example of gig work is an Uber Eats delivery person.) The market for individuals who work in these styles and companies that utilize them is the spot work market.
・Current market status
Spot workers have rapidly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic and are expected to continue expanding. This is driven by:
Individuals) Increased desire for additional work due to overtime regulations from work style reforms and reduced working hours due to COVID-19.
Companies) Increased demand for labor cost optimization, aiming for efficiency without waste or unevenness = deploying the necessary number of people at the necessary time, from the perspective of productivity improvement.
Technology) Entry of spot work recruitment service providers that offer timely and on-demand matching.
・Significance of fixed-point observation
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Statistics Bureau introduced the ILO standard "Underutilized Labor Indicators" from 2018. For example, "Persons seeking additional work" among these are workers sometimes referred to as "broadly unemployed." Working spot jobs in addition to current employment leads to stable income for workers, which in turn improves the broad unemployment rate. From a macroeconomic perspective, utilizing potential labor force contributes to national strength. From the viewpoint of connecting with such social significance, this market is continuously observed to visualize market size trends, useful topics, and inherent challenges.
We are pleased to report on the latest data for February 2026.
Click here for report details.
【Topics】
1. The spot work job availability ratio is 3.26 times. A significant increase of 1.82 points from the same month last year.
2. Although the growth rate of work decreased from the previous month, warehouse and transportation sectors exceeded the same month last year.
3. The average hourly wage for spot work is ¥1,237. This is ¥86 lower than the average hourly wage for regular part-time jobs.
■1: Spot work job availability ratio is 3.26 times. A significant increase of 1.82 points from the same month last year.
The spot work job availability ratio for February 2026 was 3.26 times. It is typical for the number of spot work job postings to calm down in January and February, but the number of job postings decreased by 17.4% month-on-month, a drop of 5.99 points compared to December, when job demand peaks. On the other hand, it increased by 1.82 points year-on-year.
■2: Although the growth rate of work decreased from the previous month, warehouse and transportation sectors exceeded the same month last year.
The growth rate of work for February 2026 decreased by 17.4% month-on-month and increased by 2.5% year-on-year. Looking at job categories, "warehouse/light work" decreased by 24.1% month-on-month, "convenience store staff" by 14.0%, and "transport/driver" by 54.2%, with a particularly noticeable decrease in transport/driver. Meanwhile, year-on-year, the overall increase was only 2.5%, but "warehouse/light work" grew significantly by 41.8% and "transport/driver" by 125.4%.
■3: The average hourly wage for spot work is ¥1,237. This is ¥86 lower than the average hourly wage for regular part-time jobs.
The average hourly wage for spot work in February 2026 was ¥1,237, a decrease of ¥2 from the previous month and ¥65 from the same month last year. The average hourly wage for regular part-time jobs is ¥1,323 (according to Recruit's "Part-time Job Recruitment Average Hourly Wage Survey"), showing that regular part-time jobs are ¥86 higher when compared to the average hourly wage for spot work.
(Sources)
Spot job site "Shotworks" data from February 2022 to February 2026
Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications "Labor Force Survey (Detailed Tabulation) October-December 2025 Average"
Recruit "Part-time Job Recruitment Average Hourly Wage Survey"
*Notice of aggregation change
As of December 2025, the scope of aggregation has been changed as follows. Please note that there will be differences from the values in surveys up to November 2025.
・Before March 2025: Job postings published on "Shotworks"
・After April 2025: Job postings entered into "Shotworks" and "Shotworks Convenience"
■What is the Spot Work Market Data Report?
・Definition of the spot work market
Spot work refers to working short-term, single-task without continuous employment. It is classified into two types: "gig work" (no employment contract) and "single-task part-time" (short-term employment contract). (A representative example of gig work is an Uber Eats delivery person.) The market for individuals who work in these styles and companies that utilize them is the spot work market.
・Current market status
Spot workers have rapidly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic and are expected to continue expanding. This is driven by:
Individuals) Increased desire for additional work due to overtime regulations from work style reforms and reduced working hours due to COVID-19.
Companies) Increased demand for labor cost optimization, aiming for efficiency without waste or unevenness = deploying the necessary number of people at the necessary time, from the perspective of productivity improvement.
Technology) Entry of spot work recruitment service providers that offer timely and on-demand matching.
・Significance of fixed-point observation
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Statistics Bureau introduced the ILO standard "Underutilized Labor Indicators" from 2018. For example, "Persons seeking additional work" among these are workers sometimes referred to as "broadly unemployed." Working spot jobs in addition to current employment leads to stable income for workers, which in turn improves the broad unemployment rate. From a macroeconomic perspective, utilizing potential labor force contributes to national strength. From the viewpoint of connecting with such social significance, this market is continuously observed to visualize market size trends, useful topics, and inherent challenges.