Unemployment in Catalonia rises, but is lowest for a month of August since 2007

With the end of the summer season, thousands of temporary tourism-related contracts end, leaving more people out of work.

As is customary in August, unemployment figures rose in Catalonia, Spain's labor ministry announced on Tuesday.

The number of jobseekers increased by 2.6% - about 8,700 people - compared to July, bringing the total number of unemployed to 335,990 people.

However, compared to the same month last year, unemployment has decreased by 2,882 people, a fall of 0.85% in year-on-year figures.

In fact, it is the lowest figure for the month of August since 2007.

The number of workers contributing to Social Security decreased by 64,353 people, breaking six consecutive months of increases.

In total, there were 3,771,723 people registered with Social Security, 1.68% less than in July, but 2.12% more than in August 2023.

Catalonia's labor secretary, Enric Vinaixa, explained that this is a "common behaviour" of unemployment in August and has highlighted that the total number of unemployment is the lowest it has been since 2007.

"We are seeing a month of August that is very similar to the same month last year, both in unemployment as well as in the number of Social Security affiliations," Vinaixa said. 

"This is a normalization of the current situation and production model in Catalonia," he concluded. 

Unemployment also rises in Spain

The trend in Spain as a whole is similar to that in Catalonia.

Unemployment increased by 21,884 people in August, 0.8% more compared to July.

However, the increase in unemployment is the lowest for this month since 2016.

The total number of unemployed in Spain now stands at 2,572,121, the lowest figure recorded for an August since 2008.

The number of workers registered with the Social Security decreased by 0.9% compared to July, but it is the best figures for this month in the last three years.