Spain Jobless Rate at 2008-Lows

2026-07-28 07:47 By Joana Taborda 1 min. read

The unemployment rate in Spain fell to 9.87% in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest since the first quarter of 2008, compared to 10.83% in the previous period and forecasts of 10.7%.

The number of unemployed persons declined by 213,300 to 2.495 million, with unemployment falling in all sectors: services (-170,300), agriculture (-22,400), industry (-10,900) and construction (-5,400).

Unemployment fell by 57,700 among people who had been out of work for more than a year, while it increased by 53,400 among first-time job seekers.

By gender, the number of unemployed men fell by 67,900 while the number of unemployed women declined by 145,400.

The female unemployment rate dropped to 11.02%, while the male unemployment rate fell to 8.84%.

Meanwhile, employment increased by 486,00 to 22.779 million, rising in services (+394,000), construction (+60,000) and industry (+38,200) while falling in agriculture (-6,200).



News Stream
Spain Jobless Rate at 2008-Lows
The unemployment rate in Spain fell to 9.87% in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest since the first quarter of 2008, compared to 10.83% in the previous period and forecasts of 10.7%. The number of unemployed persons declined by 213,300 to 2.495 million, with unemployment falling in all sectors: services (-170,300), agriculture (-22,400), industry (-10,900) and construction (-5,400). Unemployment fell by 57,700 among people who had been out of work for more than a year, while it increased by 53,400 among first-time job seekers. By gender, the number of unemployed men fell by 67,900 while the number of unemployed women declined by 145,400. The female unemployment rate dropped to 11.02%, while the male unemployment rate fell to 8.84%. Meanwhile, employment increased by 486,00 to 22.779 million, rising in services (+394,000), construction (+60,000) and industry (+38,200) while falling in agriculture (-6,200).
2026-07-28
Spain Jobless Rate Rises in Q1
Spain’s unemployment rate climbed to 10.83% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 9.93% in the previous period, above market expectations of 9.8%. The number of unemployed persons rose by 231,500, reaching a total of 2.71 million. This seasonal spike follows the conclusion of the holiday period, a typical trend in the Spanish labor market. Employment figures saw a contraction, with 170,300 jobs lost, bringing the total number of occupied persons to 22.29 million. The services sector bore the brunt of the decline, shedding 228,400 positions, while industry showed resilience with 28,100 new roles. Despite the quarterly dip, the annual trend remains positive, with unemployment falling by 80,600 compared to Q1 2025. The Labor Force Participation Rate increased slightly to 58.86%, as the active population grew by 447,000.
2026-04-28
Spain Jobless Rate Falls Below 10%
Spain’s unemployment rate fell to 9.93% in the fourth quarter of 2025 from 10.45% in the third quarter, marking the lowest level in 18 years and coming in below market expectations of 10.6%. It was the first time the jobless rate dropped below 10% since the first quarter of 2008. Employment rose by 76,200 to a record 22.46 million, while the number of unemployed declined by 136,100 to 2.48 million. The total labor force decreased by 59,900 to 24.94 million. The private sector accounted for 92% of the jobs created in 2025, Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said, adding that the figures point to a stronger and more stable labor market with higher-quality employment supporting continued welfare growth.
2026-01-27