An unforgettable March for employment
In March, it has marked a before and after in the Catalan labor landscape, with the creation of 30,196 new jobs, an increase of 0.80%. This figure has allowed Social Security affiliation to exceed 3.8 million contributors for the first time, an unprecedented record for this month, according to the data provided by the Ministry of Inclusion and Social Security.
An ascending trend
The total number of Social Security affiliates was 3,806,813, reflecting an increase of 75,732 people compared to the same month of the previous year, representing a significant increase of 2.03%. This positive trend has remained for the last five years, consolidating itself as one of the best news for the Catalan labor market.
Unemployment Reduction: A sign of improvement
Unemployment has experienced a significant decrease, with 2,556 less people on the unemployment lists (-0.76%), leaving the total unemployed at 331,765. This decrease is the most significant in the last 17 years, with a cumulative reduction of 3.67% compared to March 2024.
Sectorially: Where is employment created?
The decrease in unemployment has been observed in all sectors, with a significant decrease in services (-1.08%), industry (-0.63%) and agriculture (-0.21%). The sectors that have stood out in the creation of jobs are tourism and restaurants, especially in Girona and Tarragona, with increases in the affiliation of 1.6% and 1.5% respectively.
Catalonia in the Spanish context
The improvement of the labor market is not unique to Catalonia, because at the national level, Spain has registered an increase of 161,492 members, reaching a total of 21.36 million workers. The sectors that have contributed to this expansion include transport, agriculture and education.
The Balearic Islands as a growing leader
In the regional context, Catalonia positions itself as one of the autonomous communities with considerable work growth, but the Balearic Islands have surpassed everyone with a spectacular incredion of 5.84%.
The impact of gender on employment
An important aspect is that women have experienced a steeper fall in their unemployment rates, with a decrease of 0.81% compared to 0.69% of men. However, women are still representing more than half of the unemployed.
Contracts: indefinite vs temporary
In respect of the types of contracts, 43.1% of the new affiliations have been indefinite contracts, with a total of 201,688 formalizations in March, an increase of 11.89% over the previous month. However, temporary contracts have grown up to 15%, indicating increasing diversification in the labor market.
Futuristic perspectives
The data for March have a positive dynamic in Catalonia and Spain, with an upward trend in employment and a reduction in unemployment. These trends suggest that in the coming months they could be just as promising for the labor market.