Recent research indicates that female freelancers in Canada continue to earn significantly less than men, despite having the freedom to set their own hourly rates.A study by international payments company Remitly found that women working as independent contractors earn an average of $47.78 per hour, compared with $57 for men, representing a gender pay gap of 16.2 per cent.This exceeds Canada's overall gender wage gap of approximately 12 per cent.

Among the 54 countries included in the study, Canada ranked in the middle of the pack, with some nations reporting much wider disparities and others showing almost no gap.

According to Remitly, the largest differences in Canada appear in highly specialized and technical freelance occupations, including regulatory compliance, artificial intelligence and data engineering.

Researchers suggest that freelancers may carry forward salary expectations established during traditional employment, potentially reinforcing existing wage inequalities.Additional findings from workforce intelligence firm Revelio Labs support the trend.

Its analysis of freelancers on Upwork found that women generally advertise the same services as men while listing hourly rates that are roughly 21 per cent lower worldwide.

Even when client ratings, experience and service categories are comparable, men tend to charge higher rates, and the gap often widens as freelancers gain experience and complete more projects.

Researchers believe social expectations and the internalization of lower market valuations may contribute to these differences, although the studies do not establish a definitive cause.

Experts recommend that freelancers research prevailing market rates, compare pricing with peers and participate in professional communities to improve transparency and make more informed decisions about pricing their services.