April data shows a big jump in those on work contracts in Spain

Monthly Social Security data for April published on Thursday showed a drop of those claiming as unemployed and a big rise in numbers in work in Spain.

In April, 238,436 more people were paying their quotas into the Social Security system than in March. No month of April has ever shown such a big rise in the number working on contracts in Spain, and not since July 2005 has any month seen such a big increase.

The number of registered unemployed dropped by 73,890 in April, with the figure officially at 2.79 million nationally.

The difference between the big rise in those entering work and the smaller drop in unemployment is being explained in part by the large number of workers on seasonal contracts reactivating their work agreements again, especially those in the hospitality sector. These are controversially not all being counted in the government's unemployment figures in the off-season months.

Malaga province, including the Costa del Sol, also saw a record jump in those with contracts in the Social Security system in April, with a rise of 15,000 'new' workers, only behind Madrid, Barcelona and the Balearic Islands.

Almost half the jobs created in Malaga province were indefinite. This high figure is seen as a success for labour market reforms by national government a year ago.

April's good news for Malaga province came on top of the publication last week of strong job creation data for the Costa del Sol area in the January to March EPA Active Population Survey. This looked at unemployment in terms of the number available for work rather than the more narrow figure of those registered in the Social Security quotas system.