47
2022
The Project Economy
“Project work with defined period provides valuable varied experience. Great opportunity to find next interesting projects. All the while I’m advancing my career.”
Quote from Respondent
Independent contractors typically operate in either gig or in project-based work.
Gig work is short-term and task-focused, with limited integration into the wider organisation. By contrast, project-based work is longer-term and collaborative, with contractors working alongside employees to deliver wider outcomes such as transformation, innovation, and business change. Negative perceptions of gig work are largely linked to low-skilled and low-paid roles and do not reflect the high-skilled project economy contractors represented in this survey. In 2026, the project economy continues to account for the higher-value segment of independent contract work and remains closely associated with innovation, technology adoption, and organisational change across enterprises and SMEs.
Ninety-one per cent of high skilled contractors are in managerial, professional, high-tech and associated professional occupations, or categorized as Standard Occupational Classifications (SOCs) 1-3. Most respondents are engaged in project-based work, with 78% working on projects, 12% in gig roles, and 10% in hybrid arrangements. Compared with 2025, project-based participation increased slightly, while gig-only engagement declined.
Gig workers saw a bounce back in earnings from 2025, while project workers experienced a slight decline in overall earnings. Gig-based contractors reported an average daily rate of €520, up from €442, while project-based contractors reported an average daily rate of €574, down from €587 in 2025. Annual earnings followed a similar pattern. Gig-based contractors earned an average of €108,046 in 2026, up from €94,498, while project-based contractors earned €122,586, slightly below the 2025 level of €124,823. As a result, the earnings gap between gig and project workers reduced significantly in 2026, down from 32% in 2025 to 13% in 2026. This was driven by stronger gig income rather than weaker project earnings. Hybrid contractors earned €98,331 on average, sitting between the two models.
Project-based work remains the highest-value model of independent work, delivering stronger earnings, stability, and satisfaction. However, project workers confidence in the contracting sector fell below that of gig-based workers for the first time. Confidence index scores for the Irish economy weakened for both groups, and well-being declined across both groups.
Gender Split
Gender patterns remain distinct between the work types. In 2026, project-based contracting remains predominantly male, with 74% male and 26% female participation. Gig-based work shows greater female participation, with 43% female and 57% male. Compared with 2025, female participation increased significantly in gig roles, while the project-based gender split remained largely unchanged. This suggests gig work continues to be a more accessible entry point and/or the less continuous work commitment associated with gig work may be more appealing for women who prioritise work-life flexibility (often necessitated by child-minding and carer responsibilities).
Additional Information
| 2025 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| Male | 63.00% | 74.00% |
| Female | 36.00% | 25.00% |
| 2024 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| Male | 65% | 78% |
| Female | 34% | 22% |
| Non-binary | 1% | 0% |
| 2023 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| Male | 66% | 79% |
| Female | 32% | 21% |
| Non-binary | 2% | 0% |
| 2022 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| Male | 66% | 79% |
| Female | 34% | 21% |
| 2021 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| Male | 60% | 79% |
| Female | 40% | 21% |
Age
The age profiles also differ by work type. Project-based contractors continue to be older on average. In 2026, 44% of project-based contractors were aged 50 or over, compared with 31% of gig-based contractors. After declining in 2025 for both groups, the average age increased slightly for both groups in 2026, increasing to 47 for project-based workers and to 43 for gig workers.
Additional Information
| 2025 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| 29 & below | 18.00% | 7.00% |
| 30 – 39 | 34.00% | 23.00% |
| 40 – 49 | 27.00% | 29.00% |
| 50 – 59 | 15.00% | 25.00% |
| 60 & over | 6.00% | 16.00% |
| 2024 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| 29 & below | 15% | 5% |
| 30 – 39 | 29% | 18% |
| 40 – 49 | 22% | 25% |
| 50 – 59 | 19% | 30% |
| 60 & over | 15% | 22% |
| 2023 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| 29 & below | 3% | 4% |
| 30 – 39 | 25% | 16% |
| 40 – 49 | 39% | 29% |
| 50 – 59 | 19% | 27% |
| 60 & over | 14% | 24% |
| 2022 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| 29 & below | 7% | 4% |
| 30 – 39 | 22% | 16% |
| 40 – 49 | 31% | 28% |
| 50 – 59 | 20% | 29% |
| 60 & over | 20% | 23% |
| 2021 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| 29 & below | 17% | 5% |
| 30 – 39 | 32% | 21% |
| 40 – 49 | 22% | 32% |
| 50 – 59 | 18% | 27% |
| 60 & over | 11% | 16% |
46
2023
44
2024
40
2025
43
2026
Average Age of Task/Gig-Based Contractors By Year
Average Age of Project-Based Contractors By Year
50
2022
50
2023
49
2024
46
2025
47
2026
Education
Education levels remain very high across both groups. In 2026, 87% of gig-based contractors and 78% of project-based contractors held a bachelor’s degree or higher. Postgraduate qualifications were common, particularly among gig contractors, where 46% reported postgraduate education compared with 38% of project-based contractors.
Doctoral qualifications were present in both groups and slightly more prevalent among gig workers in 2026. There was a significant reduction in the number of gig based workers holding other professional qualifications, down from 22% in 2025 to just 9% in 2026, this coupled with the increase in the numbers holding both bachelor’s and postgraduate degrees indicates a move to more formal education routes. Overall, education levels increased marginally compared with 2025, especially within gig-based work.
Additional Information
What Professional Contractors are Earning
In terms of annual earnings, independent professionals working in the Project -based roles earned an average of €122,586 per annum, 13% more than similarly skilled professionals working on an ad-hoc task or gig basis whose average earnings came in at €108,046 per annum in 2026. The difference in average annual earnings has dropped significantly since 2025 when the reported differential was 32%. Project workers average annual earnings were €30,325 higher than gig workers in 2025, this has now reduced to €14,540 higher.
Additional Information
Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction remains higher among project-based contractors across all measures, although the gap narrowed slightly in 2026. Satisfaction with career success stood at 87% for project-based contractors compared with 76% for gig workers. Pay satisfaction was reported by 83% of project contractors and 72% of gig contractors. Remote working satisfaction remained high among project workers at 81% but was much lower among gig workers at 53%, despite improving slightly compared with 2025. Overall satisfaction levels decreased across both groups in 2026, however project-based workers satisfaction levels still remained consistently strong.
Additional Information
Wellbeing
Well-being indicators showed decline in 2026. Loneliness increased for both groups, rising to 36% among gig-based contractors and to 28% among project-based contractors. Loneliness levels are now at the highest for both groups since the research began in 2021. Burnout also increased, reaching 20% among gig workers and 16% among project workers. This marks a clear reversal of the improvement seen in 2025 and points to growing pressure across independent work.
Additional Information
Business Confidence Index
Confidence in the contracting sector over the next three to five years declined to +21 for project-based contractors, down from +28, while task/ gig-based confidence increased slightly to +22 from +16. This is the first time gig-based confidence index score for the contracting sector has exceeded project-based confidence and perhaps reflects improved gig earnings.
Looking to the Future
Project-based work typically focuses on innovation and business transformation, key drivers of economic growth. As a result, independent professional contractors involved in this high-skilled, project-driven work gain early insight into business expansion and emerging trends. This makes their perspective on the economy particularly valuable.
In 2026, confidence in the Irish economy declined sharply for both groups, falling to +8 among project-based contractors. Task and gig-based contractors are more pessimistic in their outlook for the performance of the Irish economy this year with a negative score of -3, down from +12 in 2025.
Confidence Index Contracting Sector
| Project-based contractors | Task/Gig-based contractors | |
| 2026 | +21 | +22 |
| 2025 | +28 | +16 |
| 2024 | +33 | +17 |
| 2023 | +34 | +22 |
| 2022 | +34 | +38 |
| 2021 | +33 | +20 |
Confidence Index Irish Economy
| Project-based contractors | Task/Gig-based contractors | |
| 2026 | +8 | -3 |
| 2025 | +18 | +12 |
| 2024 | +19 | +7 |
| 2023 | +13 | -9 |
| 2022 | +31 | +40 |
| 2021 | +12 | -14 |
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