The evolution of employment in recent months already indicated that exceeding 21 million members this spring was a given. All that remained was to know when it would occur and after a March in which this goal was reached, it was finally in April when this psychological barrier was surpassed for the first time. It has done so clearly, closing the month with 21,101,505 members, thanks to the increase of 199,538 jobs, 46% of which came from the hospitality industry.
On the other hand, unemployment data are also positive, with a reduction of 60,503 people in registered unemployment, bringing the total to 2.6 million, a figure that is the lowest in an April month since 2008.
If we go in parts, when analyzing affiliation the data is very positive. Not only has the symbolic barrier of 21 million jobs been surpassed, but on two specific days the 21.2 million were even exceeded. Furthermore, the increase in affiliations for the month, these almost 200,000 new jobs, represent one of the highest increases in the last months of April, with the exception of 2023, which was even higher. An increase that is registered in practically all sectors, but especially in the hospitality industry. There are 92,000 new jobs in the tourist area and this despite the fact that this year not a single day of Holy Week has been included in the month of April. All the Easter holidays were framed in the previous month, in March, and yet, the hospitality industry has continued to go strong, becoming the great protagonist, the great creator of employment.
“We have reached 21 million members in Spain and we do so, furthermore, in a month of April without Easter, which makes these data even more significant,” said the Minister of Inclusion and Social Security, Elma Saiz.
Regarding unemployment, the reduction of 60,503 people is considerable, but lower than that of the same month of the previous two years, which recorded decreases in unemployment of 73,000 and 86,000 people respectively. Last month, the drop was widespread, it occurred in all sectors, although with special impact on services, where 70% of the total reduction in absolute numbers was recorded. There are 42,000 fewer unemployed in this sector, closely followed by the reduction in construction, industry and agriculture, with between 4,900 and 3,400 fewer unemployed.
Unemployment also decreased in the vast majority of autonomous communities, with Andalusia, Madrid and Catalonia leading the way, and on the other hand, with a slight increase in unemployment in the Canary Islands.
The total number of contracts registered in April was 1.2 million, of which 559,000 (42%) were indefinite. Of these indefinite contracts, 40% were full-time, 25% part-time and 35% permanent, discontinuous.
