Catalonia leads the unemployment decrease in Spain

The number of jobless people in Catalonia at the end of the third quarter stood at 659,600, which means 66,500 less than in the same period last year. The 17.49% unemployment rate is the lowest in the last five years, according to the Active Population Survey (EPA) published this Thursday by the Spanish Institute of Statistics (INE). Catalonia is the Autonomous Community which led job creation in Spain:between July and September, 35,800 jobs were created, mainly in the service sector, due to seasonal contracts. In Spain as a whole, unemployment fell by nearly 300,000 people and 182,000 new jobs were created. The overall number of jobless people in Spain now stands at 4.8 million, a figure that hasn't been registered in the last four years and is below the 5 million  psychological barrier. 

Aiguablava hotel, in Baix Empordà, north of Catalonia (by ACN)
Aiguablava hotel, in Baix Empordà, north of Catalonia (by ACN) / ACN / Sara Prim

ACN / Sara Prim

October 22, 2015 06:09 PM

Barcelona (CNA).- Unemployment in Catalonia decreased by 66,500 people in the third quarter of the year and stands at 17.49%, the lowest figure in the last five years,according to the Active Population Survey (EPA) published this Thursday by the Spanish Institute of Statistics (INE). Catalonia is the Autonomous Community which led job creation in Spain: between July and September, 35,800 jobs were created, most of them in the service sector and due to seasonal contracts. Unemployment fell by nearly 300,000 people in the whole of Spain and 182,000 new jobs were created. The overall number of jobless people in Spain now stands at 4.8 million, a figure that hasn't been registered in the last four years and is below the 5 million psychological barrier. 


The number of unemployed people in Catalonia at the end of the third quarter stood at 659,600 which is 9% lower than in the same period last year and the lowest since 2005.  From the 3,770,400 people available to work, 3,110,900 were employed. Data released this Thursday by Spanish Institute of Statistics (INE) showed that the 17.49% current unemployment figure in Catalonia is the lowest in the last five years.

More jobs created but most of them temporary

The Active Population Survey (EPA) also specified that Catalonia is the Autonomous Community which led job creation in Spain: between July and September, 35,800 jobs were created, most of them in the service sector and due to seasonal contracts. The number of unemployed people in the service sector decreased by 8,200 people, while the fall in the industry sector was 1,200. On the other hand, unemployment in the building sector grew by 1,300 people and increased by 2,500 people in the agriculture sector.

Most of the contracts signed between July and September are temporary. During the third quarter, 32,800 temporary contracts were signed and 529,300 people were working under these conditions. On the other hand, 1,000 permanent contracts were terminated.

Unemployment in Spain under the 5 million psychological barrier

Unemployment also decreased in Spain as a whole and stands below the psychological barrier of 5 million people for the first time in four years. The 21.8% unemployment figure is 10% lower than in the same period last year. From July to September, 300,000 people left the unemployment lists and the total figure is now 4.8 million people.

Regarding job creation, 182,000 jobs were created in Spain during the first nine months of the year, which is the highest increase in nine years.