Spain reached 22.85 million employed people in the third quarter of 2026, its highest level to date, after adding 73,600 workers between July and September and 465,500 in the last year, according to data published this Tuesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
The Active Population Survey (EPA) thus reflects the positive evolution of employment in the long term, with an annual growth of 2.08% and an increase in employment that exceeds 22.8 million people. In parallel, the number of unemployed people decreased by 21,900 compared to the same period in 2025, although it experienced a quarterly rebound of 95,900 people.
The unemployment rate stood at 10.18%, compared to 9.87% in the previous quarter. This increase coincided with an increase of 169,500 people in the active population, that is, those who work or are looking for employment, which explains why employment and unemployment can grow simultaneously.
Permanent employment and full-time work drive the annual balance
The evolution of the last twelve months shows significant advances in the employment structure. The number of salaried employees with permanent contracts increased by 519,200 people, while full-time employed people grew by 417,600.
In the third quarter, full-time employment also advanced by 244,400 people compared to the previous period, while part-time employment decreased by 170,800. Overall, these data show that the quarterly increase in workers was concentrated in full-time jobs.
By sectors, services led job creation between July and September, with 235,600 more employed people. The growth in this activity compensated for the declines recorded in agriculture, industry, and construction, which lost 58,300, 54,400, and 49,300 workers, respectively.
The public sector adds employed people and the Balearic Islands register the lowest unemployment rate
The public sector incorporated 89,900 employed people in the quarter, reaching 3,736,800 workers. The private sector, for its part, registered a decrease of 16,300 people, reaching 19,115,800 employed people.
By autonomous communities, the Balearic Islands registered the lowest unemployment rate in Spain, with 4.63%, and increased its employment by 3.94% compared to the previous quarter. The Canary Islands stood out for the absolute increase in workers, with 38,100 more employed people.
Madrid recorded the largest quarterly drop in employment, with 49,200 fewer workers, while the Valencian Community experienced the largest increase in unemployment, with 31,000 more unemployed. Andalusia, with an unemployment rate of 14.91%, maintained the highest percentage, although it recorded the lowest number of unemployed for a third quarter since 2007.
Unemployment falls annually and employment maintains its advance
The year-on-year comparison offers a more favorable perspective than the evolution of the last quarter. Spain has 465,500 more employed people and 21,900 fewer unemployed than a year ago, while the active population has grown by 443,500 people.
The female unemployment rate stood at 11.28%, compared to 9.20% for men. On the other hand, the EPA recorded 786,100 households with all their active members unemployed, 21,800 more than in the previous quarter, an indicator that reflects that the improvement in employment still does not reach all households equally.
The data therefore draw a labor market that maintains an annual growth trend, with maximum employment and advances in permanent employment, although it still presents differences between sectors, territories and groups. The quarterly rebound in unemployment constitutes the main counterpoint to a favorable year-on-year evolution.