Approximately five percent of the residents of the European Union have worked illegally, and 11 percent have purchased services or products that resulted from illegal work. This was shown by a Eurobarometer survey conducted by the European Commission among citizens of the 27 member states of the Union.
The highest rates of illegal work were reported by respondents in Denmark (18 percent), Latvia (15 percent), and the Netherlands (13 percent). Generally, illegal work is an additional activity, as most respondents worked unreported for less than 50 hours annually. The most common illegal activities involved various household chores and construction work. On average, illegal workers earned 16 euros per hour. The highest hourly rate for illegal work is in Western Europe (20 euros per hour) and the Nordic countries (18 euros). In Southeast European member states, the average hourly rate for illegal work is around 15 euros, while in Eastern European member states it is 10 euros.
The survey also addressed the phenomenon of envelope wages, or cash payments without tax and contribution payments, as a specific form of illegal work. About 5 percent of workers in the EU received part or all of their salary in this manner last year. Residents of Eastern member states are the most dissatisfied with this model—30 percent would prefer to receive their salary legally.
Unreported work is most commonly performed by the unemployed, self-employed, and illegal immigrants. The majority of the European public tolerates individual illegal work, but illegal work in companies is significantly less accepted.
