Unemployment in Catalonia falls to July 2008 levels

The number of registered unemployed workers in Catalonia continues to decrease, falling to July 2008 levels, the lowest number of jobseekers recorded in 14 years. 

In June there were 338,081 jobseekers registered with the social security system, a drop of 9,946 people compared with May’s figures, according to data released on Monday by the Spanish ministry of labor. 

The number has decreased each consecutive month since the beginning of the year. June registered 2.86% fewer unemployed people than May. 

In May, 280,974 new contracts were signed in Catalonia, of which 129,542 (46%) were indefinite. Compared to 2021, unemployment in Catalonia has gone down by 107,781 registered people, a decrease of 24.17%. 

At the same time, the Catalan economy has generated 151,818 more jobs.

Across Spain, the number of unemployed workers in the country remains below three million. In total, unemployment fell by 42,409 people compared with May. 

Two ways of calculating unemployment

The figures differ from those from the latest Labor Force Survey (EPA in Spanish), which is published every three months. The variation in the figures can be attributed to the different methods for gathering data.

The work ministry figures, published in this article, are based on the number of jobseekers registered with the Employment Service, while the EPA figures are taken from surveying a broad sample of 65,000 households, or some 200,000 individuals, all over Spain.

According to the latest EPA, showing figures for the first quarter of 2022, the jobless rate in March 2022 stood at 10.23%, two and a half points lower than a year before: 12.9%. 

There were 394,200 unemployed people at the end of March, which means 105,500 fewer than a year before. 

Data gives optimism

The new data released on Monday "gives us optimism, or at least it should, as these figures go against the discourse of catastrophe," Catalan labor minister Roger Torrent said during a press conference.

This June has recorded the best figure registered in a month of June since 2008. Another historic moment is the number of social security members, as for the first time ever, it has surpassed 3.6 million in Catalonia. 

"We can confirm the solvency of the labor market," as Catalonia is the Spanish territory with the highest drop in unemployment records, Torrent explained. 

"Data from the first semester shows us the strength of the labor market, surpassing unexpected scenarios, such as the war in Ukraine," the minister added. 

The administration will now be "paying attention" to the evolution of the market during the second semester of the year due to a context of constant inflation not seen in decades. However, public officials believe the data released on Monday is "a good start to give security to face current difficulties," Torrent concluded.