Lowest end-of-year jobless rate since 2008

At 479,200 people, the unemployment rate in Catalonia stood at 12.6%, the lowest end-of-year figure since 2008. The official figures, from the latest Labor Force Survey, which was published on Thursday, also show there were 79,200 fewer unemployed people in Catalonia in the final quarter of 2017, compared with the same period in 2016.

However, the jobless total of 479,200 people at the end of 2017 was 3,600 higher (0.76%) than in the third quarter of last year, according to the official figures. Despite this end-of-year increase, the rise is nevertheless the lowest fourth quarter increase since 2013. In fact, it is not uncommon for the jobless total to go up in the final quarter of the year.

On a positive note, the survey also shows that 113,600 new jobs were created in Catalonia in 2017, a rise of 3.5%, and the highest end-of-year figure since 2005.

Unemployment rate decreases since 2013

The unemployment rate in Catalonia started to fall in 2013, after reaching 24% at the end of 2012. In fact, it was the highest unemployment rate in recent years. In 2014, it went below 20% and every year since it has decreased on average between 2 and 4%.