France hourly wages index: construction
France hourly wages index: construction stood at 115.6 in Q2 2026, according to INSEE – Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (BDM). It is one of the indicators in the Wages and labour cost table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1998 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Wages and labour cost table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour cost index | |||||||||||
| hourly wages - Construction (NAF rev. 2 item F) | 115.6 | 114.9 | 116.3 | 113.2 | 113.2 | 112.6 | 113.8 | 111.6 | 110.5 | 110.1 | |
| hourly wages - Mining and quarrying (NAF rev. 2 item B) | 114.9 | 114.4 | 115.3 | 112.8 | 112.3 | 111.9 | 112.3 | 110.7 | 110.2 | 109.2 |
Understanding france hourly wages index: construction
Gross hourly earnings for personnel engaged in building construction, civil engineering, and specialized construction trades capture labour price developments within the construction sector. The series computes wage variations for site workers, foremen, and administrative staff while filtering out changes in total hours caused by weather disruptions or seasonal shutdowns. By focusing strictly on remuneration per hour, the metric separates underlying pay adjustments from fluctuations in overtime or short-time work.
Seasonality plays a pronounced role in construction labour metrics due to winter weather interruptions and standardized summer holiday periods, making year-on-year percentage comparisons more reliable for trend analysis than quarter-on-quarter changes. Initial releases are subject to subsequent revisions as more complete payroll declarations become available from construction enterprises. Analysts must remain mindful of potential breaks resulting from updates to industrial classifications or changes in collective bargaining agreements negotiated at the branch level.
Frequently asked questions
- What specific economic activities fall under the construction hourly wages index?
- The series covers NAF rev. 2 item F, encompassing general construction, civil engineering projects, and specialized trade activities such as electrical installation and plumbing.
- How does bad weather impact the hourly wage index?
- While weather events may reduce total hours worked or trigger temporary layoff compensation schemes, the index measures the underlying hourly rate for actual hours worked, minimizing distortion.
- Are apprenticeship subsidies reflected in this wage series?
- No, the index tracks direct gross wage rates rather than net employer labour costs, meaning government training subsidies or payroll tax exemptions are excluded.