Unemployment in Catalonia falls slightly to 9.4% in second quarter

Unemployment in Catalonia fell slightly to 9.41% in the second quarter of 2024, 0.07 tenths of a percentage point less than in the first quarter, according to the latest Labour Force Survey (EPA) published Friday by the Spanish Statistics Institute.  

Between April and June, 395,300 workers were unemployed, 800 fewer than in the first quarter. However, compared to the second quarter of 2023, the number of unemployed workers rose by 31,000.   

Meanwhile, employment in the second quarter of 2024 marked a new record, reaching 3.8 million workers, nearly 24,000 more than the previous quarter. 

Compared to the same period last year, the number of employed people increased by 70,000 people.   

As for Spain as a whole, unemployment fell by 222,600 people, to 2,755,300 in the second quarter of the year, while the unemployment rate stood at 11.27% between April and June - 1.02 percentage points less than in the first three months of the year.

Of the 3,807,600 employed workers in Q2 in Catalonia, the vast majority (2,883,300) correspond to the services sector, with others coming from industry (636,100), construction (243,900) and agriculture (44,300).

Compared to last year, the services sector gained 31,300 workers (+1.1%), construction 15,400 (+6.7%), and industry 25,800 (+4.2%).

On the other hand, agriculture saw its decline accentuated, with 2,500 employed (-5.35%) fewer workers in this sector.

Some 2,862,300 workers in Catalonia had an indefinite contract (87.1% of the total) in Q2, while 422,300 were temporary (12.9% of the total).

The number of temporary contracts rose by 26,900 between the first and second quarter. 

Officials celebrate "record employment"

Acting Minister of Business and Work, Roger Torrent, highlighted "record employment" that the data show, and believes that the labor market "continues to show signs of strength."

Torrent pointed out that "there are more people than ever working in a second quarter" of the year, and specified that "the job creation figures are unprecedented at this time of the year."

The acting minister remarked that the industry sector has grown the most during this legislature, with an increase of 11.2% and creating jobs for 64,300 people.

Torrent stated that this is "the most important legacy" left by the current Catalan government.