With just one week to go before the elections, the labor situation in Peru is concerning. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI), around 7 million workers in the country earn less than the minimum wage, set at S/1,130 per month. This figure represents approximately 42% of the national workforce, which is in a state of underemployment.
The situation is particularly critical in Lima, where 1,608,000 people work without earning enough to cover the basic family basket, which amounts to S/1,816. This precariousness has intensified since the pandemic, with a 43% increase compared to figures from 2019.
Experts warn that the labor market is marked by instability. Currently, 92% of re-hired workers do so under temporary contracts, limiting their access to credit and generating uncertainty about their future employment.
Despite having 655 labor proposals in government plans, less than 5% address significant reforms to tackle the high informality and precariousness of employment.
