Catalonia unemployment has increased during the summer months despite the region achieving record employment levels, according to new data from the National Statistics Institute.
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The surprising figures reveal a complex labour market situation where both employment and joblessness grew simultaneously during what is typically the strongest tourist season.
Catalonia Unemployment Figures Show Mixed Summer Results
The third quarter saw unemployment in Catalonia rise slightly to 8.18%, up from 8.11% in the previous period. Consequently, an additional 3,800 people joined the unemployment rolls, bringing the total to 352,100 jobseekers. This marks the first summer unemployment increase since 2022, breaking a two-year trend of seasonal improvement.
Meanwhile, employment reached a historic high of 3,950,600 workers after adding 5,900 new positions. However, this modest 0.15% growth represents the weakest summer employment increase since 2012. Government Secretary of Labour Paco Ramos nevertheless described the labour market as showing “good dynamism” despite the mixed signals.
The service sector, excluding commerce, experienced significant job losses during this period despite record tourism numbers. Hospitality alone lost 30,800 workers, a dramatic 9.8% reduction that contrasts sharply with the 28,200 jobs gained during the same period last year. This sector has now recorded three consecutive quarters of decline.
Furthermore, long-term unemployment remains a persistent challenge, with 102,900 people having sought work for over a year. This represents 29% of all unemployed individuals in Catalonia. Ramos highlighted education as a key factor, noting that 40% of long-term unemployed lack secondary education qualifications.
The broader Spanish context shows similar patterns, with national employment reaching 22.4 million workers while unemployment increased to 10.45%. These developments occur alongside ongoing concerns about economic wellbeing despite employment growth.
Trade unions CCOO and UGT have welcomed the employment record but cautioned that the unemployment increase and challenges facing women and long-term jobseekers indicate “important pending duties” in the labour market. The Catalan government has introduced new metrics to better understand labour underutilisation, revealing 660,983 people in this category across the region.
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