• Low. 1.6 million employees do not work a single hour a week, 46% more than before the pandemic

Employment in Spain grew in May by 200,400 affiliated to Social Security, a third of which were in the hospitality sector; while unemployment registered the smallest drop for a month of May since 2012 -not counting 2020-, according to data published this Friday by the ministries of Social Security and Labor.

The number of people affiliated to Social Security grew by 200,411 people, 7.4% less than what grew on average in the five years prior to the pandemic, when an average of 216,634 jobs were added in that month, and also less than what rebounded last year (213,643) and the previous year (211,923). In 2020 alone, due to the impact of the pandemic and lockdowns, employment in May behaved worse, with 97,462 jobs created.

The jobs created last month allowed the total affiliation to Social Security to reach 20.81 million contributors, a new historical record, which implies that Spain today has 582,676 more employees than a year ago. The behavior of employment is very positive, although it must be taken into account that the hours worked in the country do not evolve at the same pace.

Of the 200,400 jobs created in May, 34% corresponded to the hospitality sector, which was the one that most pulled employment for the second consecutive month, due to the drag of Easter and before the imminent beginning of the high season in many tourist areas.

In particular, in the General Regime the hotel industry was responsible for 67,315 new employees last month (the next sector with the most growth were administrative and auxiliary activities, with 20,930 new affiliates, and then, the manufacturing industry, with 11,136 jobs) and in the Self-Employed Regime, the number of hoteliers grew by 1,609, followed by professional and technical activities (+1,209) and construction (+1,168).

In seasonally adjusted terms -modifying the data to put us in a scenario in which all months of the year were equally positive for employment in Spain-, last month 47,883 jobs would have been created, the smallest rebound so far this year and what could indicate the beginning of the slowdown in the labor market, Although a positive fact because jobs are still being created in the country.

Unemployment falls but less

Along with the Social Security affiliation data, the Ministry of Labor has published today the registered unemployment data in the offices of the State Public Employment Service (SEPE), which show that unemployment fell in the month of May but less than in the last eleven years if 2020 is not counted.

Specifically, the number of unemployed pointed to the lists of the SEPE was reduced by 49,260 people, while last year in this same month it had decreased by 99,512 – almost double – and in 2021, by 129,3778. This decrease allowed the total number of unemployed in the country to stand at 2,739 million, the lowest figure since 2008 in a month of May.

The reduction in unemployment occurred in all sectors, all the autonomous communities and among men and women. In addition, the rate of monthly percentage decline in unemployment among young people doubles the general rate: it fell by 7,208 unemployed young people (3.69% less), bringing the total number of unemployed people under 25 to 188,043, the lowest in the historical series, according to the Ministry.

In the Services sector, unemployment fell by 34,665 people (-1.74%), in Industry by 4,622 people (-2.07%), in Construction with 3,896 fewer unemployed (-1.82%) and Agriculture has 2,501 fewer people unemployed (-2.30%). The group Without Previous Employment also points to a fall of 3,576 people in unemployment (-1.41%).

  • Employment
  • Unemployment
  • Articles Alejandra Olcese

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