April 2023 marked a significant milestone for Spain, with the country reaching 21 million members in Social Security for the first time ever. This achievement was due in part to the creation of 199,538 jobs during the month, although growth was slower than in previous years due to Easter falling in April. Despite this, it was still higher than the average for this month in the years prior to the pandemic.
The Ministry of Labor noted that seasonal employment played a major role in this record number of affiliations, with a total of 21,101,505 members. It’s important to note that this figure does not reflect the total number of people employed in the country, as individuals with multiple jobs are counted separately for each employment relationship.
In terms of job creation, administrative activities and commerce experienced growth alongside hospitality sector which led the way. The biggest increase in employment was seen in services sector with additional gains also made in agriculture and industry construction sectors. Self-employment also saw an increase during this period with hospitality sector leading new business openings once again.
Female membership increased but their average number of women employed remained lower than men’s despite that. Foreign workers accounted for about 35% of new jobs created during April. The Ministry reported a decrease registered unemployment rate with number of unemployed falling to 2,666,500-the lowest figure since September 2008.
In conclusion, April’s employment data shows positive trend where seasonal tourism employment largely drove growth and unemployment decreased overall indicating improvement labor market conditions .