Unemployment in Catalonia dropped by 11.7% in annual terms in July, and by 8.5% in Spain

Barcelona (ACN).- Registered unemployment in Catalonia decreased by 9,162 people in July compared to the previous month, the third-biggest drop for the month of July since 1996, according to figures released on Friday by the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security. The total number of people registered as unemployed with Catalonia’s Public Employment Service (SOC) at the end of the month was 501,785 individuals, which represents an 11.69% drop in annual terms, the highest percentage decrease since April 2000 (when registered unemployment dropped 11.94% compared to 1999 figures). In addition, the figures from July mean that there have now been 25 consecutive months of annual drops in the number of unemployed people in Catalonia. As well as this, the total number of Catalans without a job and looking for one at the end of last month was the lowest since July 2009 (when there were 495,911 jobless people). In Spain as a whole, registered unemployment decreased by 74,028 people from June to July, which represents an 8.45% annual drop and is Spain’s most significant decrease for the month of July since 1998. At the end of last month there were 4,046,276 people registered as unemployed in Spain. In the Province of Barcelona alone, registered unemployment dropped by 11.92% by the end of last month.

In Catalonia, the number of people registered on the SOC lists dropped by 9,162 individuals. This is the third-biggest drop since 1996, when comparable data started to be collected. The only two July months with more significant drops in the number of registered unemployed in Catalonia were in 1997 and 2010.

Catalonia leads unemployment reduction in Spain

Catalonia was the Spanish Autonomous Community with the third greatest unemployment decrease in monthly terms, after Andalusia and Galicia. However, in annual terms Catalonia consolidated its position as the leader in unemployment reduction in Spain, with 66,446 fewer people registered as jobless than a year ago. Catalonia is followed by the Madrid Region, with 51,317 fewer jobless than in July 2014. Furthermore, Catalonia also registered this July the highest annual drop in registered unemployment in absolute terms (-66,446 people) among all the Autonomous Communities for any month since 1996, when data divided by Autonomous Communities started to be compiled.

All sectors contributed to the unemployment drop in Catalonia

Looking at the sectors of the Catalan economy, the service sector, with jobs for the summer season, has been leading the reduction in unemployment, with 3,654 fewer people on the SOC list. It is followed by the construction sector, where 1,909 fewer individuals were unemployed. Construction therefore now accumulates 7 consecutive months of declining unemployment, starting to leave behind the severe crisis this sector has gone through since 2008.

Catalonia’s industrial sector also continues with its positive trend and now accumulates 11 consecutive months of declining unemployment, posting figures showing 1,844 fewer jobless at the end of July. Finally, the primary sector also contributed to the positive trend, with 449 fewer unemployed individuals.

Unemployment dropped throughout Catalonia

All four Catalan provinces registered significant unemployment drops in July. In the Province of Barcelona (where more than two-thirds of Catalans live), the number of people on the SOC lists decreased by 1.46% in monthly terms and by 11.92% in annual terms. In Girona Province (where the Costa Brava is located), there was a 2.25% monthly drop and an 11.48% annual decrease. The Province of Lleida (western Catalonia) registered a 3.84% decline in monthly terms and a 10.22% annual drop. Finally, Tarragona Province (where the Costa Daurada is located) saw a 2.81% monthly decrease and a 10.98% drop in annual terms.

Only 55% of unemployed people receive public money

Out of the 510,947 people on the SOC lists at the end of June (this type of data comes always with a one-month delay), 284,925 individuals were receiving some sort of unemployment benefit or social subsidy, constituting 55.76% of the total number of unemployed. The rest were not receiving any kind of public money, mostly because they had already exhausted the period for which they could do so or they do not qualify for social grants.