February has proved to be a positive month for the labour market in Spain, as the Social Security system registered an average gain of one hundred thousand three hundred forty contributors, nearing a record total of twenty-one million two hundred thousand affiliates. Concurrently, the number of registered unemployed individuals dropped by five thousand nine hundred ninety-four, reaching a total of two million five hundred ninety thousand, marking the lowest count in seventeen years. These figures reflect a promising trend as Spain’s employment rate continues to recover.

The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration highlighted that while the job market added sixty-eight thousand seven hundred thirty-five contributors overall, the figures were slightly below last year’s numbers, which indicated a record increase. Sector-specific growth was led predominantly by Education and Hospitality, which together accounted for over seventy-five percent of new job creation. Meanwhile, the Construction sector also saw a notable rise in contributors.

In regards to unemployment, the total number of jobless individuals at the end of February stood at two million five hundred ninety-three thousand, marking a decrease of one hundred sixty-six thousand nine hundred fifty-nine compared to last year. Despite this positive drop, the current statistics show a smaller reduction than in the previous year. The overall decline in unemployment can be attributed to improvements in various sectors, although there were notable increases in the Agriculture and Prior Employment categories.

Minister of Labour Yolanda Díaz praised the data, describing it as very positive but acknowledged that work is still needed to assist families impacted by unemployment. Notably, the number of female contributors to the Social Security system reached beyond ten million, demonstrating progress towards gender inclusion in the working environment.