In a historic first, Spain has surpassed 21 million members of Social Security after creating an impressive 199,538 jobs in April. Although this year’s labor market is experiencing a slower pace compared to the previous year (due to Easter falling in April in 2023), it is still higher than the average before the pandemic.
The Ministry reported that the surge in seasonal employment led to a record 21,101,505 affiliations to the system. It is important to note that this number does not equate to the total number of people working in the country as individuals with multiple jobs are registered with one affiliation per job.
Spain’s year-on-year growth revealed an increase of 486,516 affiliates or 2.36%, which is significantly slower than previous years but still marks a positive trend in the labor market. The hospitality sector accounted for 47% of all jobs created in April, particularly in tourist regions where bars and restaurants prepare for the influx of travelers during the spring.
Hospitality saw the most job creations with 91,913 new positions, followed by administrative activities and auxiliary services, as well as commerce. Additionally, self-employment grew in April with 11,987 new self-employed workers, mostly in the hospitality sector.
The surge in employment in April was largely attributed to seasonal jobs linked to tourism, as shown by the distribution of new positions among Balearics, Andalusia, and Catalonia. Despite most jobs being in the services sector, there were also job increases in agriculture, livestock, fishing, industry, and construction.
The number of unemployed registered at Sepe offices decreased by 60,503 people in April
