28.33% more jobless this September than same month last year

The labor market in Catalonia continues to feel the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent economic contraction.

Indeed, the latest figures released by Spain's Labor Ministry on Friday demonstrate a 28.33% increase in the number of unemployed people in Catalonia in September 2020 compared to the same month in 2019, with 105,578 more jobless workers this year around than last.

This comes despite a slight 2,441-person drop in unemployment this September compared to August – traditionally, there are more people employed during the summer months due to the influx of tourists, but this year the sector was left reeling from Covid-19 restrictions and last-minute cancellations.

Meanwhile, by the end of September, there were still 146,559 furloughed workers at 33,204 different companies in Catalonia. These workers will be able to benefit from temporary redundancy schemes until January 31 as they were recently extended by the Spanish government following a last-minute agreement with unions and employers' associations.

As far as Spain as a whole is concerned, unemployment was 22.62% last month than in September 2019, while joblessness increased by 26,329 people compared to August.