Record employment in Catalonia in third quarter with more than 3.71m people in work

Catalonia closed the third quarter with a new employment record: more than 3.71 million people in work, according to the latest Active Population Survey (EPA) from Spain's National Statistics Institute. 

Between July and September, 62,400 new jobs were created compared to the previous quarter. 

The total number of people unemployed stood at 345,400 at the end of September. The unemployment rate has risen in the last quarter to 8.5%. In the previous quarter it was 8.44%, the lowest figure in fifteen years. 

Compared to June, there are 8,600 more jobseekers, while compared to last year there are 19,800 fewer people looking for work.

Spain

A new employment record was also set across Spain in the third quarter. Between July and September, the high season for tourism, Spain registered 21.3 million people in employment, 209,100 more than the previous quarter (+0.99%). 

The unemployment rate stood at 11.84% (up from 11.6%), with 2,855,200 people out of work. 

This is 92,700 more jobseekers than the previous quarter (+3.36%), but 125,000 fewer people looking for work than a year ago (-4.20%). 

Record employment in Catalonia 

Catalonia registered 3,716,400 people in work at the end of September, a record high. 

The 62,400 new jobs created in Catalonia during the third quarter (up 1.71%) was, in absolute terms, second only to Valencia (80,700 new jobs, up 3.6%) when comparing Autonomous Communities. 

Between July and September, Catalonia also reached a record active population – the combined number of people in work and looking for work – which rose to 4,061,800. 

This is 71,000 more than in the second quarter and 136,700 more than a year ago. The active population has been on the rise for three consecutive quarters. 

Fewer temporary contracts 

Another record figure is the number of workers with permanent contracts: 2,777,600, which is 86.5% of the total in employment. 

Temporary contracts fell to a historic low, standing at 13.5%. There were 434,600 people with a temporary contract, 7,700 less than the previous quarter and 63,800 less than a year ago. 

Unemployment among women rises

In the third quarter unemployment among women has risen again, standing at 8.95% (three months ago it was 8.35%). Unemployment among men has dropped to 8.09% from 8.52%. 

Of the total 345,000 people unemployed, 175,000 are women (+14,800 compared to June) and 170,400 are men (-6,200 compared to June). 

The only sector where the number of people unemployed has risen is industry (up 4,100 to 25,400). The service sector continues to account for more unemployed people than any other, with 131,700. 

The number of jobseekers aged 16 to 19 fell from over 30% to 27.63%, while the unemployment rate among people aged 25 to 54 stands at 7%. 

More than 121,100 people in Catalonia have been registered as unemployed for more than a year, 3,100 more than in the previous quarter. The percentage of long-term unemployed remains steady at 35%.