In April 2023, Spain reached a new milestone by surpassing 21 million members in Social Security for the first time ever. This achievement was made possible by the creation of 199,538 jobs, which is a slower pace of growth compared to last year. However, it is still higher than the average for this month in the years prior to the pandemic.
The Ministry of Labor reported that seasonal employment was a major contributor to this record number of affiliations, which now stands at 21,101,505. It should be noted that this figure does not reflect the total number of people employed in the country, as individuals with multiple jobs are counted separately for each employment relationship.
The hospitality sector accounted for 47% of all new jobs created in April, with bars and restaurants gearing up for the spring influx of tourists. The biggest growth in employment was seen in the services sector, with additional gains in agriculture, industry, and construction. Self-employment also saw an increase in April, with 11,987 new self-employed workers.
Unemployment decreased significantly in April as well. The number of unemployed fell to 2,666,500 – the lowest figure since September 2008. Despite an increase in female membership, the average number of women employed was lower than men. Foreign workers accounted for 35% of the new jobs created in April.
Overall, these figures indicate a positive trend for Spain’s labor market and suggest that seasonal tourism employment will continue to drive much of the growth moving forward.