One Macrosector Accounts for 62.77% of Ecuador Labor Contracts This Year

Ecuador's formal labor contracts are concentrated in one broad part of the economy.

El Universo reports that the Ministry of Labor portal recorded 273,554 active labor contracts between January and April 2026. Of those, 171,735 were in one macrosector, equal to 62.77% of the total.

What Is In The Macrosector

The macrosector includes 11 activities, according to El Universo: agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing, construction, mining and quarrying, wholesale and retail commerce, vehicle and motorcycle repair, financial and insurance activities, professional, scientific and technical activities, and human-health and social-assistance activities.

The article says most signed contracts in that sector are indefinite contracts, representing 37.63%.

El Universo also reports that the workforce in the sector is 68% male and 32% female. By age, it is almost split: workers over 29 represent 49.02%, while people between 18 and 29 represent 50.92%.

The Companies Signing The Most Contracts

El Universo lists the top contract-signing companies in the macrosector as:

• Omarsa S.A.: 4,379 active contracts
• Santa Priscila S.A.: 3,494 contracts
• China Railway 19 Bureau: 1,693 contracts

The same report quotes Aldo Salinas, a master's holder in agribusiness and teacher at Universidad de las Americas, saying Ecuador's natural advantages have historically been tied to agriculture and natural resources.

What This Means For Expats

For foreign residents who hire staff, run small businesses or watch Ecuador's job market, the useful point is concentration. A large share of formal contracts is tied to activities that touch food production, construction, retail, finance, professional services and health-related work.

That does not mean every local job is in those sectors. It does mean those sectors are where much of the formal hiring data is showing up this year.

Source: El Universo