Malaga records second largest drop in Spain for unemployment in March

Unemployment dipped in Malaga last month, according to the latest official figures. Following a usual winter spike in unemployment where Malaga registered just 4,906 new workers in the first two months of 2023, the labour market bounced back in March.

The latest data showed 3,685 people got jobs in Malaga last month alone, becoming the second province in Spain with the greatest drop in unemployment, behind Seville. Its rate of decline in percentage terms, -2.6%, was half a point above the Andalucian average and almost one point above the national average.

The number of unemployed people in Malaga now stands at 137,660.

The figure is only a thousand people above the figure it posted at the end of August last year. The improvement is due to a drop in unemployment across all sectors, led by the services sector (-3,349). The decreases are more subtle in construction (-364), industry (-133) and agriculture (-57).

On the other hand, the group without previous employment grew, with 218 more job seekers.

The decline in unemployment is coupled with strong employment growth.

In March, the province recorded an increase of 12,644 in Social Security enrolments compared to the previous month.

The increase (+1.91%), can be attributed to hiring in the hospitality and tourism sector prior to Easter, making Malaga the fifth most dynamic province in the country in terms of job creation.