El paro aumenta en 23.587 personas en septiembre

In September, the number of unemployed individuals registered with the Spanish Public Employment Service (SEPE) rose by 23,587 compared to August (1%). Meanwhile, the affiliation surged with 92,327 people. These figures are influenced by the extraordinary regularization process of foreigners. Consequently, the unemployment rate stood at 2,379,505, the lowest for a September month since 2007.

Out of this total, 56,476 people were in unemployment due to extraordinary regularization and 52% of them had been registered for less than a month. In terms of interannual changes, unemployment decreased by 42,160 people (-1.74%). By economic sectors, the unemployment rate dropped by 1,726 people (-1.04%) in Construction and barely changed in Industry with 39 people unemployed (0.02%).

It increased by 6,707 people (0.40%) in Services and by 601 people (0.87%) in Agriculture. The increase was most pronounced among the previously unemployed group, with 17,966 more people out of work (7.39%). Female unemployment rose by 9,648 women (0.68%) compared to August, with a total of 1,428,405 unemployed women, the lowest level since September 2008.

Male unemployment increased by 13,939 people (1.49%) to 951,100. Youth unemployment (ages 25 and under) rose by 21,411 people (12.77%) compared to the previous month, totaling 189,141. In 2026, unemployment fell in two autonomous communities: Canarias (-4,156) and La Rioja (-135), while it rose in the remaining 15, led by Andalusia (6,733), Madrid (2,773), and Galicia (2,746).

The Social Security system gained an average of 92,327 contributors in September (0.41%), bringing the total to 22,437,553 workers, according to the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations. This was the largest increase for a September month since records began. In the past year, the increase was 739,888 new contributors, a 3.41% growth interannually.

Compared to 2018, the average annual increase totaled over 3.57 million. In terms of seasonally adjusted numbers, the number of contributors rose monthly by 108,832 new entrants, reaching a new maximum of 22,480,796. This represents 68 consecutive months of growth and the highest level of the series, marking five and a half years of increases.

Minister Elma Saiz noted that daily registrations in September were above 22.5 million workers, indicating a growing labor market trend expected to continue. She highlighted that on September 28, daily registrations reached their peak with 22,576,593 contributors, the highest number of people working in Spain. Saiz also emphasized female employment, with over 10.5 million women insured, and the growth of indefinite contracts, with over 15 million insured individuals holding such contracts.

She noted that the extraordinary regularization process is a key piece in the equation. Through this process, SECO counted 421,306 new contributors as of September 30, 83,389 more than the last day of August. By country of origin, Colombia had the most new contributors (118,485), followed by Venezuela (71,999), accounting for nearly half of the total.

By regimes, 77.4% of regularized workers (326,256) fell under the General regime, while 22,681 (5.4%) were self-employed. By gender, 60.2% were men (253,490) and 39.8% were women (167,815). The General regime saw an increase of 80,397 new entrants (+0.43%) to 18,888,481 employed, and in the past year, accumulated 668,944 new entrants (+3.67%).

The Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers (RETA) added 3,483,645 new entrants (+0.41%) and 70,353 (+2.06%) compared to a year ago. Within the General regime, education led the rise in new contributors with 60,323 new entrants (5.41%), coinciding with the start of the school year, followed by administrative and auxiliary services (+36,557 new entrants, +2.4%) and professional scientific and technical (+10,013, +1.03%).

By contrast, retail saw a decline of 39,153 new entrants (-1.5%); hospitality, with 19,570 fewer (-1.12%); and public administration, defense, and social security, with 12,178 fewer (-0.98%). The monthly increase in affiliation affected both men and women, but more so in the latter, with the number of new female entrants rising by 90,859 (+0.86%), bringing the total to 10,580,201.

This news is significant, as it indicates a closer approach to gender parity in the labor market, explained the minister.