• Employment advanced in October, with an average of 141,926 more affiliates to Social Security, thanks to the boost from education, while registered unemployment rose by 22,101 people, exceeding 2.4 million

According to the data provided this Wednesday by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, the October registry, the second best in the series for this month, brings the total to 21.84 million affiliates, close to the summer record of 21.86 million.

UNEMPLOYMENT DATA

Regarding unemployment, October’s increase places the total number of registered unemployed at 2.44 million which, nevertheless, represents the lowest figure for this month since 2007, as highlighted by the Ministry of Labor.

In the last year, Social Security has added more than half a million workers (507,078), while unemployment has been reduced by 158,288 people.

Breaking down employment, education added 167,323 affiliates and construction 15,347, while hospitality shed 50,594 and health activities and social services lost 34,341.

Employment advanced especially among women, with 109,972 more employed women, reaching 10.3 million female affiliates; while the number of men registered with Social Security grew by 31,955, up to 11.5 million.

Female affiliates now represent 47.4% of the total, closer to parity, Inclusion highlights.

Among the self-employed, the monthly advance was 9,142, reaching 3.42 million, an all-time high for this scheme.

The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, Elma Saiz, insisted that the data point to “more dynamism and higher quality in employment,” since “a large part of the new employment created is focused on high value-added activities such as education, scientific-technical activities, or telecommunications.”

UNEMPLOYMENT RISES IN SERVICES AFTER THE SUMMER SEASON

By sector, registered unemployment dropped only in construction, by 2,121 people; while it rose mainly in services, with 18,496 more unemployed following the end of the summer season.

It also rose in industry, with 1,148 people, and agriculture, with 1,270 more unemployed; as well as among those with no previous employment by 3,308 people.

Female unemployment increased by 11,561 women, to 1.48 million, the lowest figure in October since 2007; while male unemployment stood at 963,301, rising by 10,540 people.

Among those under 25, unemployment rose by 10,082 people, leaving the total at 193,798, also the lowest for a month of October.

The Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, highlighted in statements sent to the media that these record lows in female and youth unemployment were made possible because the labor reform has “changed the paradigm.”

Registered unemployment rose across all 17 autonomous communities, with the largest increases in absolute figures in Castile and León (2,545), Andalusia (2,535), and Catalonia (2,423).

During the month, 1,510,580 contracts were signed, of which 643,183 are permanent and represent 42.58%.

On the other hand, the coverage of the unemployment protection system climbed to 75.9% in September, the latest available data, the highest in the series.

BY REGIONS

Unemployment grew last October in all autonomous communities, most notably in the Balearic Islands (6.26%), Asturias (2.77%), and Castile and León (2.60%), although employment also rose in 11 of them, especially in the Valencian Community (1.65%).

Most notably, the number of affiliates to Social Security increased in the province of Valencia (2.31%), surpassed only by Almería (3.87%) and followed by Castellón (1.88%).

According to data provided this Tuesday by the Ministry of Labor, following the Balearic Islands, Asturias, and Castile and León, unemployment rose the most in La Rioja (2.50%), Navarre (2.04%), Cantabria (2.03%), Aragon (2.00%), the Canary Islands (1.59%), and Castile-La Mancha (1.22%).

Below the average (0.91%), it increased in Madrid (0.82%), Catalonia (0.75%), Extremadura (0.68%), Murcia (0.63%), and the Basque Country (0.60%), and where unemployment grew the least in October was in Andalusia (0.42%), Galicia (0.27%), and the Valencian Community (0.25%).

Source: EFE