Malaga province unemployment rises to 12.6%, with industry dragging down employment

The year is not off to a good start for the labour market in Malaga province. In the first quarter, the province lost 7,200 jobs, bringing the total down to 807,100 from the 814,300 at the end of 2025.

This represents a 0.9% decrease in employment, compared to the 0.8% decline recorded nationally: in Spain, the job loss amounts to 170,300, bringing the total number of employed to 22.29 million.

Last year had a better start, both at national and provincial level, as Spain lost 92,500 jobs (slightly more than half the number lost this year), while the province managed to increase the number of employed individuals by 16,800.

By sector, the bulk of job losses occurred in industry, which lost 10,100 jobs, bringing the total down to 40,600. Meanwhile, the services sector saw a decrease of 1,300 jobs, to 681,800. In contrast, agriculture added 3,000 jobs during the first quarter, reaching 20,500. Construction hired nearly 1,100 workers, bringing the total to 64,100.

In March this year, however, Malaga had 47,200 more people employed than 12 months prior, thanks in part to the service sector, which saw an increase of 53,200 jobs compared to the first quarter of 2025, as well as agriculture, which gained 1,500 jobs. Conversely, industry lost 7,100 jobs and construction lost 600.

This shift in employment during the first quarter has led to a rise in unemployment. The number of unemployed has increased from 108,000 at the end of 2025 to 116,200, a rise of 8,200. In percentage terms, this represents a 7.6% increase. Across Spain, the number of unemployed has risen by 231,500, exceeding 2.7 million, an increase of approximately 9.5%.

This has caused the unemployment rate to rise from 11.7% at the end of 2025 to 12.59% at the end of the first quarter of this year. A year ago, however, it stood at 14.8%. At the national level, the unemployment rate has risen from 9.93% to 10.83%. In March 2025, it was 11.36%.