the average wage in February increased by 9.2% and amounted to NIS 11,773

In 2021, the average wage in the economy was NIS 11,773. An increase of 2.3% compared to the same period last year and an increase of 9.2% compared to 2019 before the outbreak of the corona crisis. On the other hand, in the high-tech field, the average salary was NIS 26,494 - 2.25 times, according to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics published on Thursday.
In December, the average wage in the economy was NIS 12,142, an increase of 7% compared to the previous month. This concludes a year with great volatility in the average wage resulting from changes in the labor market following the corona crisis. The number of jobs in December was 3.86 million.
 The average wage in high-tech has increased by 6.5% compared to 2020 and by 13% compared to 2019. Since the Corona crisis began, the increase in the average wage in high-tech has increased by 4% more than the increase in the average wage in the economy. Against the background of rising inflation and rising living costs, the main significance is the widening of social gaps in Israel.
The number of jobs throughout 2021 was 3.619 million, an increase of 7.3% by 2020. The number of employee jobs in the high-tech field in 2021 was 345.9 thousand, an increase of 6.8% compared to 2020 (324.0 thousand). Employee jobs in the high-tech field were 9.6% of all employee jobs in the economy, similar to the previous year. The number of jobs in the economy continues to rise for the fourth month, and since September another 223,000 jobs have been added.
The industries with the highest number of jobs for 2021 are the education industry with 539.4 thousand vacancies, the health services, welfare and welfare industry with 508.0 thousand jobs and the retail wholesale trade and motor vehicle repair industry with an average wage of 465.5 thousand jobs. It should be noted that the average wage in these professions is significantly lower than the average wage in the economy and stands at NIS 8,865 in the education industry and NIS 9,031 in the health services, welfare and welfare services industry.
The industries with the highest wages in 2021, separate from the high-tech sector, are the information and communications industry with an average wage of NIS 25,729 gross, the financial services and insurance services industry with an average wage of NIS 19,916, the electricity supply, water, wastewater treatment and waste treatment industries with an average wage. Of NIS 19,668 and a professional, scientific and technical services industry with an average salary of NIS 16,870.
On the other hand, the occupations with the lowest wages are the hospitality and food services industry with an average wage of NIS 5,388, the arts industry, the management and support services industry with an average wage of NIS 6,190 and the entertainment and leisure industry with an average wage of NIS 6,705. These are the industries that have been hardest hit by the corona crisis.
The highest salary in the high-tech field is in the research and development professions with an average salary of NIS 30,791, while the lowest salary in the high-tech field is in the communications services professions and it stands at NIS 16,435.