Most European job ads still hide salary as EU transparency deadline nears

New Indeed data shows disclosure has stalled across major markets, with Germany at 12% and the UK in unexpected decline

Key findings at a glance:

• The UK leads Europe’s largest markets at 56%, followed by the Netherlands (48%), France (43%), Ireland (39%), Italy (36%), Spain (17%) and Germany (12%).
• Most large EU member states are likely to miss the June 2026 implementation deadline, three years after the directive was adopted.
• The UK’s share of postings with salary has fallen recently from almost two-thirds to just over half.
• Hourly-paid roles offer the clearest pay information, with exact figures more common and ranges typically narrower than for monthly or annual pay.
• Range widths vary sharply: UK hourly postings have a median range of 11% above the lower bound (e.g. £15-£16.70/hr), while Italian monthly postings reach 50% (e.g. €3,000-€4,500/month).

London, UK – 7th May 2026: With the EU’s pay transparency deadline just weeks away, most of Europe’s largest economies are nowhere near ready, according to new data from Indeed.

Just 12% of job postings in Germany include salary information, alongside 17% in Spain. The UK leads its European neighbours at 56%, followed by the Netherlands (48%), France (43%), Ireland (39%) and Italy (36%) – meaning even the most transparent major market still hides pay in nearly half of postings.

Salary transparency has plateaued across most large economies over the past year. Italy is the clear exception, climbing from around 22% of job postings to 36%, while the UK has moved in the opposite direction, falling from almost two-thirds of postings to just over half.

Most large EU member states are still legislating

Three years after the EU adopted its pay transparency directive in 2023, most large member states have yet to pass the national legislation needed to implement it. France’s parliamentary calendar makes adoption before June unlikely. Germany has yet to introduce a bill, despite an expert commission publishing recommendations in October 2025. The Netherlands has pushed implementation to 2027. Going beyond the minimum requirements are Italy and Ireland which have drafted laws that mandate that pay information appears in job postings rather than only being shared with candidates before an interview.

Disclosure quality varies as much as quantity

Where salary information does appear, the level of detail varies widely. Exact figures remain uncommon; most employers publish a range, or a lower or upper boundary. The UK leads on precision, with 32% of salary-transparent postings quoting an exact figure, followed by Spain and France (both 24%). At the other end, only 10% of Italian and 8% of Dutch postings give an exact figure.

Hourly-paid roles are the most transparent in every country studied. In Spain, 53% of hourly postings quote an exact figure, compared with 21% of postings advertising annual salaries. Range widths follow the same pattern: in the UK, the median hourly range sits 11% above the lower bound (equivalent to a posting at £15-£16.70 per hour), versus 17% for annual salaries (e.g. £30,000-£35,100). Italy stands out at the other extreme, with median monthly ranges 50% above the lower bound – equivalent to a job advertising €3,000 per month topping out at €4,500.

Strong jobseeker support

Survey findings from jobseekers show clear demand for change. Between 61% (Germany) and 82% (Ireland) of respondents said they would be more likely to apply for a job that listed a salary range, and 64% to 83% said job postings should include ranges as standard. Support is consistently higher among women: 73% said they would be more likely to apply, compared with 67% of men.

Lisa Feist, Economist at Indeed, said:

“While the UK continues to lead Europe’s largest job markets in salary transparency, with over half of postings now including pay information, the recent decline from almost two-thirds signals that progress cannot be taken for granted. As neighbouring European markets move towards mandatory pay transparency under the EU directive, UK employers may increasingly find themselves benchmarked against higher-disclosure standards – even without being directly subject to the legislation. This evolving regional context creates a clear expectation shift for candidates and raises the bar for what ‘good practice’ in hiring looks like.

“Jobseeker demand is already strongly aligned with this direction of travel, with the majority stating they are more likely to apply when salaries are included. As expectations rise and transparency becomes more standardised across Europe, UK employers have an opportunity to reassert leadership by improving consistency  in pay disclosure. Those who act now can strengthen trust with candidates, improve application quality, and future-proof their hiring strategies.”