The SPANISH labor market slowed in the third quarter of this year, with the unemployment rate rising slightly to 12.67% of the active population and the total number of unemployed approaching three million people.
This is according to the Active Population Survey (EPA), which was released on Thursday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
The Spanish labor market traditionally experiences a drop in unemployment in the third quarter, thanks to the impetus provided by the tourist season, among other factors.
But this year, the ranks of the unemployed swelled between July and September, rising from 60,800 workers to a total of 2,980,200 people.
Additionally, the number of people at work actually increased by 77,700 in the third quarter.
The Spanish government interpreted these seemingly contradictory figures by saying it was due to more people registering as job seekers due to their confidence in the market. The active population – those able to work – increased by 138,500 people in the third quarter.
Deputy Prime Minister and Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz described the current employment situation as “completely normal”.
The government also highlighted the effect labor reforms passed earlier this year have had, with full-time contracts increasing by 589,800 last year.
Young people, however, continue to be the hardest hit by rising unemployment. The under-25 rate increased by 2.49 percentage points in the third quarter and currently stands at 31%.
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