Unemployment rate rises to 10.45% in Spain as summer comes to an end despite all-time record number of employed people
The number of workers remains above 22 million for another quarter, but the number of unemployed rises by more than 60,000 people
The data for the third quarter of 2025 from the EPA active population survey, which reviews figures on a quarterly basis, leaves mixed feelings. The number of workers in Spain once again set an all-time record by adding 118,400 new employees between July and September, standing above 22 million for the second consecutive quarter. However, the end of the summer also came with a rise in unemployment from 10.29%, the lowest in Q2 since 2008, to the current 10.45% (60,000 more unemployed).
Despite the rise compared to this past spring, in annual terms the figure is 0.8% lower and at the lowest since 2007, before the Great Recession, in the July-September period. However, for yet another month, the rate resists dropping below the 10% barrier set by the central governmen as "full employment".
This third quarter has been particularly hard for women in Spain. According to data, the number of unemployed men fell by 22,600, while the number of unemployed women rose by 82,700. The female unemployment rate rose to 12.11%, while male unemploymend dropped to 8.97%, which is the lowest since the first quarter of 2008 when it was below 8%.
Despite this rise at the end of September, in annual terms there are 140,900 fewer unemployed. Moreover, unemployment fell by 48,900 people among those who lost their jobs more than a year ago, i.e. long-term unemployed. However, the number of people looking for their first job rose by 49,900.
Record number of employed persons
While the number of unemployed is at a decade-low of 2.6 million, the number of people in employment soars in the third quarter. Naturally, as it includes the high summer season, the third quarter is usually positive for job creation, mostly thanks to the tourism industry.
However, emplyment rose by only 0.53%, which is somewhat lower than during the same period last year and lower than in previous years. What is positive is that the statistics show that the people who work summer jobs are being hired earlier in the year, already in spring. This year, employment grew by half a million people between the first and the second quarter, compared to the 118,400 hired from the second to the third quarter.
In annual terms, Spain has 564,100 more employed people (2.58% more) compared to 2024. "These figures corroborate the dynamism of the labour market, in which the active population increased to over 25 million people for the first time, with an increase of 178,500 people in the third quarter, compared to the previous one," the Ministry of Economy said.
Most of the employment growth in the third quarter was in the private sector, which accounted for more than 90% of the increase (107,600 persons), compared to 10,800 in the public sector.
Households in which all members work reached 12.04 million in the third quarter, almost 240,000 more than a year ago. By contrast, households in which none of the members are employed fell to 790,800, 6,100 fewer than in the previous quarter.
Permanent employment also continued to rise: 75,000 new permanent employees were added between July and September, reaching 16.13 million, i.e. 530,000 more than in the same period last year. Temporary employment in the private sector remains at below 13%.
By branch of activity, job creation was mainly concentrated in industry (+64,100), followed by services (+39,100) and construction (+32,600).
