Catalan registered unemployment drops by 3.27% in April; largest decline in Spain and for 19 years

Barcelona (ACN) - Official data released on Tuesday by the Spanish Employment Ministry show that both Catalonia and the whole of Spain registered the largest monthly decline in unemployment for a month of April since 1996. In particular, Catalonia closed last month with 552,974 people registered on the Catalan Public Employment Service's list (SOC), which means 18,681 fewer jobseekers in comparison with March 2015, a 3.27% drop. In annual terms, registered unemployment in Catalonia fell by 9.62% (58,848 fewer people), which is the highest percentage decline since May 2000. These figures mean that registered unemployment in Catalonia has fallen for 22 consecutive months. In Spain as a whole, at the end of April 2015 the number of people registered as unemployed stood at 4,333,016, which means 118,923 fewer jobseekers than in March, representing a 2.67%. In annual terms, registered unemployment in Spain dropped by 7.5%, as 351,285 fewer people were registered as looking for a job. According to Joan Aregio, Catalan Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, "still a lot of work needs to be done but - as the figures show - the overall trend is positive".

For the last 7 years, unemployment in Spain declined by an average of 25,000 people for the month of April, mostly due to the effect of seasonal contracts in the Easter holidays. This year, all the Spanish Autonomous Communities recorded a drop in registered unemployment, but one much higher than in previous years: Catalonia sees the largest drop in absolute terms (-18,681 jobseekers), followed by Andalusia (-14,425) and the Madrid Region (-12,160).

Registered unemployment in Catalonia had not reached last month's level (552,974) since July 2010, when at the end of that month there were 539,191 jobseekers. In the last four-and-a-half years, registered unemployment has been way above these figures. Furthermore, the significant drop in unemployment seen during April affects the whole of Catalonia. All Catalan Provinces witnessed a decline in unemployment both in monthly and annual terms in April 2015.

Unemployment declines in all Catalan provinces both in monthly and annual terms

The official data from Barcelona Province (where two-thirds of Catalans live) particularly stand out as; by the end of last month, the number of registered unemployed people stood at 410,214, approximately at the level recorded in July 2010 (when they were 408,410). April’s figures represent a 2.76% fall compared with March (11,639 fewer individuals unemployed) and a 10% drop in annual terms (45,603 fewer unemployed).

The Province of Girona (north-eastern Catalonia) had 49,973 persons registered as unemployed at the end of April, a 5.93% decrease on March's figures (3,149 fewer unemployed) and an 8.91% drop in annual terms (4,886 fewer individuals unemployed). A similar level of registered unemployment was recorded in July 2014 (when 48,886 people were on the SOC's list).

The Province of Lleida (western Catalonia) ended April with 28,418 people on the SOC’s lists, a 2.43% decrease in monthly terms (708 less people) and a 7.32% drop in annual terms (2,246 fewer unemployed). A similar level of registered unemployment was recorded only in September 2014 (with 27,317 people were registered as jobseekers).

Lastly, the Province of Tarragona (southern Catalonia) had 64,369 people registered as unemployed, a 4.71% fall in monthly terms (3,185 fewer unemployed) and a 8.67% fall in annual terms (6,113 less people unemployed). A similar level of registered unemployment was recorded only in August 2014 (when 63,487 people were on the SOC's list)

In annual terms, the Province of Barcelona and Tarragona have now seen 22 consecutive months of declining unemployment. The Province of Girona follows with 21 consecutive months and Lleida leads with 23.

Unemployment dropped especially in the service, construction and secondary sectors

Although registered unemployment dropped across all industries, the services sector performed particularly well, with 12,945 fewer jobseekers than in March. The construction sector came next, with a drop in registered unemployment that amounts to 2,369 fewer persons registered on the SOC's lists (-3,61%).

The industrial sector also performed fairly well, ending April with 2,168 fewer unemployed people, a 2.85% drop in monthly terms. Finally, in the agriculture sector the drop in registered unemployment amounted to 828 people, the largest decline since May 2014. 

The number of employment contracts signed in Catalonia in April was 209,507

The number of employment contracts signed in Catalonia in April was 209,507, representing a 4.16% decrease on March figures (9,092 fewer contracts), influenced by the end of the Easter season, and a 5.82% increase compared with April 2014 (11,518 more contracts).

Of the total number of contracts signed, 26,722 were for permanent positions (21.64%) while the remaining 182,785 were temporary (78.36%). In April 2014, contracts for permanent positions represented only 13.79% of the total.

32,323 more people registered with Social Security Scheme in Catalonia

With regard to the Social Security Scheme, the number of people registered in Catalonia reached 3.01 million, which means 32,323 more than the previous month, a 1.08% increase. In annual terms, it recorded an increase of 103,687 people, a 3.56% growth on the figure from April 2014.

Commenting on the official unemployment data released on Tuesday, Joan Aregio, the Catalan Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, stressed the importance for the fall in unemployment to be in parallel with a growth in the number of people registered with the Social Security system.