Employment figures in Catalonia continue to set historic highs, with 4,003,234 Social Security affiliations in September. This figure, surpassed only by the summer months, consolidates the positive trend in the Catalan labor market. In parallel, registered unemployment has stood at 330,072 people, representing the second-best figure for a September since 2008.
During September, 256,815 contracts were formalized, an 8.3% increase compared to the previous year, significantly driven by permanent hiring. The year-on-year increase in affiliations was 3.61% (+139,583), exceeding the state average and marking the highest since September 2022. Catalonia remains the only autonomous community with over 4 million affiliations, surpassing Madrid by more than 75,000.
The Secretary of Labor, Paco Ramos, highlighted the "solidity of our labor market" and that Catalonia "leads job creation in the State." He added that the Government "positively values the economic dynamics" and will continue to define policies for "shared prosperity".
Regarding registered unemployment, the monthly increase of 604 people (+0.2%) is explained by a rise among men, while it decreased among women and the population aged 25 and over. Territorially, unemployment fell in Barcelona (-0.3%) but rose in Lleida (+2.6%), Tarragona (+1.3%), and Girona (+1.1%). By sectors, it decreased in services and industry, and increased slightly in agriculture and construction.
In year-on-year terms, the increase in unemployment is widespread across all provinces, with rises in Lleida (+8.5%) being particularly notable. Total hiring in September reached 256,815 contracts, with 47.7% being permanent. The year-on-year increase in hiring was 8.3%, with a more intense growth in permanent contracts (+12.2%).
