Setting out from a recognition of the diversity of forms taken by international trade participation across Latin America, this study analyses the participation of seven countries of the region (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru) in global value chains and compares the associated employment patterns with those linked to traditional trade and domestic demand. The analysis focuses on employment and wages and their relationship to value added, occupational categories and gender gaps. Drawing on a newly constructed database with information on these variables for the aforementioned countries, the study examines the extent to which greater participation in global value chains is associated with the narrowing of certain employment gaps in Latin America.