SPAIN has recorded its lowest March jobless total since 2008, with 2.7 million people registered as unemployed.
That’s a fall of 33,405 compared to March, boosted by workers being taken on by the hospitality sector for the Easter holiday period.
The total number in work last month was 20.9 million people according to the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, which mixed in some seasonal adjustments, takes the total to over 21 million people registered as making social security contributions.
The year-on-year growth in average affiliation was 2.6%, with 525,414 more workers than in March 2023, while unemployment fell by 135,257 people, at a rate of 4.73%.
The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, said: “For the first time in history the psychological barrier of 21 million people affiliated to Social Security has been beaten, although this is a figure that changes with seasons.”
“It is a very happy day at the Ministry,” Saiz added.
“The record affiliation in March is the result of a collective effort that represents a message of confidence in the system”.
There were increases in all sectors last month, with 168,259 more social security affiliates in services, followed well behind by 9,867 in agriculture, 8,838 in construction and 6,622 in industry.
The biggest growth area was the hospitality industry including hotels and restaurants with 81,151 more workers, followed by commerce, with 13,643, and education, with 11,744 more.
A large part of the March jobless fall was led by women, with 23,009 fewer unemployed, although female unemployment is still almost a million higher than that of men.
Unemployment among young people under the age of 25 fell by 2,748 people to 205,007- the lowest figure recorded in March.
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