Press Release: Indicators of the Information and Communication Technology Sector (ICT). Year 2022.

Main results

The turnover of companies in the ICT sector reached 124,316.9 million euros in 2022, undergoing growth of 12.8% compared to the previous year.
The number of companies in the ICT sector that carried out R&D grew by 8.4%, standing at 2,247.
The trade deficit of companies in the ICT sector increased by 3.1%. The largest import volumes of ICT products were for Telecommunications Equipment and Computer Equipment.

More information

Main variables of the ICT sector

The turnover of companies in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector stood at 124,316.9 million euros in 2022, representing an increase of 12.8% with respect to the previous year. These companies generated added value totalling 45,619.2 million euros.

The number of companies in the ICT sector rose by 3.6%, standing at 75,054. In contrast, the number of people employed grew by 10.1%, standing at 621,333.

Main variables of the ICT sector. Year 2022

Financial data in millions of euros

Source: Structural Business Statistics: Industrial and Services sectors

Salary cost in the ICT sector

The salary cost per worker in the ICT sector stood at 2,829.0 euros per month in the fourth quarter of 2022. The salary cost of the Manufacturing Industry was 2,871.7 euros and that of ICT Services was 2,828.2 euros.

With regard to the wage cost per hour, the highest ones were recorded in Telecommunications (25.0 euros), Programming, Consultancy and Other Computer-Related Activities (23.5 euros) and Publishing (22.1 euros).

Salary cost in the ICT sector. Fourth quarter 2022

Euros

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    "3,061.7",
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    "3,522.6",
    "23.5",
    "3,398.0",
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    "14.2",
    "1,981.3",
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Source: Quarterly Labour Cost Survey

Companies in the ICT sector that carried out R&D activities

The number of companies in the ICT sector that carried out R&D activities in 2022 increased by 8.4%. Specifically, they totalled 2,247, accounting for 18.9% of the total of companies that carried out these kinds of activities.

Employed personnel (in full-time equivalence) increased by 15.4%. The number of female researchers rose by 21.2% and that of researchers in general increased by 18.7%.

R&D activities in the ICT sector. Year 2022

Source: Statistics on R&D Activities
*millions of euros
**FTE=Full-time Equivalent

Companies in the ICT sector that carried out e-commerce

In 2022, 60.6% of the companies in the ICT sector with 10 or more employees made purchases through e-commerce, as compared to 41.8% of the total for the business sector.

Companies buying via e-commerce. 2021-2022

Percentage

Source: Survey on the Use of ICT and e-Business in Companies

Meanwhile, 33.9% conducted sales via e-commerce, compared with 31.7% of the business total.

The companies in the ICT sector made sales through e-commerce worth 21,716.6 million euros, accounting for 5.8% of the total sales through e-commerce.

Companies selling via e-commerce. 2021-2022

Percentage

Source: Survey on the Use of ICT and e-Business in Companies

Value of the production of goods in the ICT sector

According to the Industrial Products Survey, the production value of ICT goods totalled 3,711.3 million euros in 2022, with an increase of 10.3% compared with the previous year.

By product groups, Audio and Video Equipment recorded the greatest rise, 19.4%.

Value of the production of goods in the ICT sector

Millions of euros

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    "2.3",
    "254.1",
    "6.8",
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    "11.2",
    "1,252.4",
    "33.7",
    "0.2",
    "13.9",
    "267.4",
    "7.2",
    "0.0",
    "19.4",
    "1,445.0",
    "38.9",
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    "10.3",
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Source: Industrial Products Survey

The value of the production of ICT goods accounted for 0.6% of the total value of industrial production in 2022.

Foreign trade in ICT products

ICT products had a negative trade balance totalling 16,109.2 million euros in 2022, with an 3.1% increase in the trade deficit compared to the previous year.

Exports totalled 6,583.0 million euros, while imports reached 22,692.2 million euros.

The largest import volumes of ICT products were for Telecommunications equipment and computer equipment.

Foreign trade in ICT products. Year 2022

Millions of euros

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    "2,163.2",
    "8,359.6",
    "-6,196.4",
    "25.9",
    "10.8",
    "1,039.6",
    "5,606.5",
    "-4,566.9",
    "18.5",
    "8.2",
    "943.9",
    "2,068.3",
    "-1,124.4",
    "45.6",
    "-46.9",
    "762.1",
    "3,291.3",
    "-2,529.2",
    "23.2",
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    "1,674.2",
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    "29.0",
    "3.1",
    "394,685.8",
    "470,086.7",
    "-75,400.8",
    "84.0",
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Source: Own elaboration based on data from Tax Administration
(*)Combined Nomenclature

The exports of the ICT sector accounted for 1.7% of Spanish exports, 0.3% less than in 2021.

As for imports, they accounted for 4.8% of Spanish imports, compared to the figure of 6.4% in the previous year.

Foreign trade in ICT products. 2017-2022

Percentages

Source: Own elaboration based on data from Tax Administration

Revisions and data updates

The data published today are final. All results are available on INEBase.

Methodological note

The main objective of the Iindicators of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector is to reflect the situation of the sector on the supply side, and not use, in order to provide relevant information on the manufacturing and service industries whose main activity is linked to the development, production, marketing and intensive use of information technologies. These sectors are characterised by having high rates of innovation, technological progress and productivity, which is why they have a considerable impact on economic activity.

Information is collected from other statistical operations to draw up the indicators. Tables of global values of the ICT Sector are published for the following variables: turnover, production value, added value, employed people and other sector-specific variables (classification variables, branch of activity and type of product), exports and imports.

Type of operation:: annual summarised statistics.
Population scope:: Spanish companies whose main activity (manufacturing, commercial or services) is in the ICT field.
Geographical scope:: the whole national territory.
Reference period:: the calendar year.
Collection method:: summary of different statistical operations.

For more information, you can access the methodology and the standardised methodological report.

INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and the Code of Best Practices.