Unemployment falls in Catalonia for the fifth consecutive month

Madrid (ACN).- Unemployment dropped in Catalonia over last July, being the fifth consecutive month with a fall in unemployment. The number of jobseekers decreased by 784 people, which represents a 0.13% decrease compared to the previous month, when 15,356 people quit the Catalan Public Employment Service lists. At the end of July there were 614,792 jobseekers, according to data released this Thursday by the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security. In the whole of Spain, unemployment decreased by 27,814 people over last July, a 0.6% drop compared to June figures. It is the fourth consecutive month that unemployment has decreased, looking at data for the entire country. The total number of unemployed people in Spain at the end of July was 4,587,455 individuals. 

However, regarding figures from 12 months ago, unemployment increased in Catalonia and in the whole of Spain. Over the last 12 months, there are 43,923 registered as unemployed in Catalonia, which represents a 7.8% increase. Figures from July, consolidating 5 months of unemployment decrease, put the total number of jobseekers at the levels registered at the end of 2011. Despite the five-month drop, last July unemployment fell by 0.13%, while it had decreased by 2.4% in June, 1.03% in May, 0.75% in April, and 0.58% in March.

Construction and the industrial sector lead last July’s unemployment drop

The economic sectors that have contributed the most to the decrease of unemployment figures in Catalonia over last July were construction (-1,001 people) and industry (-582 individuals). To a lesser extent, agriculture has also seen its unemployment figures decrease (-89 people). However, the service sector saw 1,838 more people unemployed. Looking at the total figures, most of the jobseekers belong to the service sector (378,111 people). Construction has 99,229 unemployed people, industry 94,854 people, and agriculture, 10,987 individuals.

Long term unemployment was reduced for the second consecutive month. Over last July, there were 950 less people registered as being long term unemployed, leaving the total figure as 31,611 individuals. This figure is similar to that of last January. However, a shocking statistic is that, out of these 31,611 long term unemployed people, 7,200 are less than 20 years old. 10,218 people are more than 44 years old.

Youth unemployment dropped by 1.3%

Youth unemployment (people less than 25 years old) totalled 43,642 people in Catalonia at the end of July, after having decreased by 1,340 individuals, which represents a 1.3% drop.

The number of foreign workers registered as unemployed also decreased last July, with 4,038 less people on the Catalan Public Employment Service (SOC) lists, which represents a 3% drop. The total number of foreign people registered as unemployed in Catalonia totalled 128,925 individuals. A similar figure to the levels registered at the end of 2010, leaving behind the historical peak of 144,804 foreign jobseekers, registered last February.

Regarding gender, male unemployment decreased by 0.7% last month. In total there are 315,273 men without a job and looking for one in Catalonia, while there are 299,519 women in the same situation. This represents a 0.5% increase in female unemployment.

New contract rate increases by 9.6%

The new contract rate increased in July by 9.6% compared to June. In total 219,518 new contracts were signed in Catalonia last month, 19,200 more contracts than in the previous month. The total figure is similar to the levels registered in July 2011, when 220,400 contracts were signed. Regarding the types of contract, indefinite contracts dropped by 1.73% compared to a year ago, with 20,358 contracts signed last July. The number of temporary contracts remains fairly stable, totalling 199,160 new contracts signed in July. It represents a minor decrease (-0.3%) compared to figures from a year ago.

Unemployment drops in Lleida and Girona

In the Province of Lleida (Western and North-Western Catalonia), unemployment dropped by 3.14% last July, with 934 less people registered as jobseekers and leaving the total number at 28,781 individuals. In the Province of Girona (North-Eastern Catalonia, where the Costa Brava is located), unemployment dropped by 2.23% in July compared to figures from the end of June. There were 1,190 less people on the SOC lists, totalling 52,134 jobseekers.

However, in the Province of Tarragona (Southern Catalonia, where the Costa Daurada is located) unemployment increased by 0.29%, with 192 more people on SOC lists and leaving the total number at 67,038 individuals. Finally, in the Province of Barcelona (with two thirds of Catalonia’s population), unemployment rose by 0.25%, with 1,148 new jobseekers. In total, the Province of Barcelona had 466,839 people registered as unemployed at the end of July.