Easter once again had a significant impact on the labor market. In April, the number of average social security members exceeded the 21.5 million mark for the first time in history, reaching 21,588,639 registered individuals. This represents an increase of 230,000 contributors compared to the previous month, largely due to the dynamism in the hospitality sector, where almost every second new job was created. This seasonal development also led to a decrease in the number of unemployed by 67,420, to a total of 2,512,718 – the lowest number since July 2008.
According to statistics published by the Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance on Tuesday, Easter once again played a positive role in employment behavior. Despite a stable employment base of over 21 million over the past twelve months, the 230,993 new jobs created in April significantly exceeded the number of jobs created in the same month last year (199,538), although they were below the 2023 level (238,436). Employment gains were recorded across all sectors, with the hospitality sector recording the largest increases with 108,513 jobs added month-on-month, followed by commerce (15,677) and administration (15,343).
Overall, the total number of average contributors – taking seasonal effects into account – has now increased for the fourth consecutive month, reaching a new record high. “Employment continues to grow and is of higher quality. The results of the labor reform are undeniable,” stated Social Security Minister Elma Saiz. Her department’s report highlights that this is the second-largest increase in April and the fourth-largest month-on-month increase since 2012.
Compared to the previous year, April saw an increase of almost half a million employed persons (487,134). The number of self-employed also increased, with 3,402,198 registered self-employed persons, following the addition of 12,950 new members—the highest number in the past year.
According to official figures, women filled the majority of new positions (121,483 compared to 109,510), resulting in the total number of average female affiliates rising to 10,238,541—240,000 more than in April 2024 and the highest number for this group in the entire historical series. “Since the labor reform came into force, 1.74 million member associations have been added, and we have reached historic figures of 21.5 million workers. On several days in April, the number even exceeded 21.6 million, and we surpassed the 21.7 million mark,” Saiz congratulated.
The territorial distribution of new jobs shows that the hospitality sector has driven an increase in employment, particularly in the regions that receive the most visitors at Easter. The Balearic Islands led the way with 62,884 new jobs, followed by Andalusia (53,980) and Catalonia (37,403). In contrast, La Rioja (622), Navarra (2,185), and Aragon (1,361) recorded the smallest increases in new jobs in April.
Along with the new jobs, unemployment also fell in April, even slightly more than the previous year (67,420 fewer applicants than the 60,503). The labor report shows that female unemployment fell by 38,291 (-2.46%) compared to the previous month, bringing the total number of unemployed women to 1,515,487 – the lowest figure since 2008. Male unemployment also fell (29,129 fewer unemployed, -2.84%), bringing the total number of people registered with the various SEPE offices to 997,231. This was the first time in 17 years that the threshold of one million registered unemployed was undercut.
Looking at the age groups, the unemployed under 25 also benefited in April, with a decrease of 20,095 people compared to the previous month, which represents the largest April decline since 2001. This brought the total number of registered young people down to 177,429, reaching the lowest level in the historical series.
In terms of provincial distribution, unemployment fell in all registered municipalities except Ceuta (+40). The largest decreases were recorded in Andalusia (-24,119), Catalonia (-6,048), and the Valencian Community (-5,271).
