The number of people registering as jobless in Spain decreased by 13.311K to 2.580 million in March 2025, following a modest 6K decline in February and compared to forecasts of a more modest 2.5K drop.
Spain jobless falls more than expected
This marks a continuation of the improving labor market trend, although the March figures were somewhat weaker than expected. Unemployment fell across several sectors, with the largest reduction observed in services, where 14.461K fewer people were jobless. The industrial sector also saw a decline of 1.498K jobseekers, while the construction sector saw a drop of 0.909K, and agriculture reported a smaller decrease of 0.093K.
Regionally, the most significant declines in unemployment occurred in the Valencian Community, where 4.905K people left the unemployment rolls, followed by Catalonia with a decrease of 2.556K, and Galicia, which saw a reduction of 1.822K. These areas were among the strongest performers, benefiting from regional economic factors and seasonal hiring.
Waiting for positive effects from Easter
However, March’s figures may not yet fully capture the positive seasonal effects typically seen with Easter hiring, which traditionally boosts employment in sectors like tourism and retail. Instead, the data was slightly dampened by adverse weather conditions, which impacted several key sectors, including agriculture and construction, limiting job creation opportunities.
On a more positive note, Spain gained 23,079 net formal jobs in March, bringing the total number of people employed in the country to 21.5 million. This reflects ongoing improvements in Spain's labor market, driven by strong demand for workers in certain sectors, though the pace of recovery remains uneven across industries and regions. Compared to the same period in 2024, the number of registered jobseekers decreased by 146.9K, reinforcing the overall positive trend in the country’s employment situation. Still, economists are cautiously optimistic that the labor market will continue to strengthen as the year progresses, especially with the expected boost from the upcoming summer season and potential recovery in affected sectors.
