Spain • • • 🌿 Progressive

Trabajadores conversando en una oficina luminosa con grandes ventanales y edificios urbanos al fondo
Oficina luminosa con trabajadores conversando junto a escritorios y grandes ventanales, imagen alusiva al récord de afiliación a la Seguridad Social en España. · Imagen generada para EPM

Social Security affiliation hits a historic record in October in Spain

Social Security affiliation reached a historic high in October with 22,624,165 people, despite the seasonal rise in unemployment, with gains in female…

--- The context --- October produced a labour picture full of contrasts in Spain, with Social Security affiliation at its highest level in the entire series and a seasonal rise in registered unemployment. The month in which jobs are usually lost after the summer instead delivered a record. --- The facts --- Average affiliation stood at 22,624,165 people, after adding 784,573 workers over the past year, a year-on-year advance of 3.6%. The monthly rise was 186,612 people, the largest ever recorded for an October, and the seasonally adjusted figure reached 22,571,105 contributors, with 69 consecutive months of increases. Female employment reached 10,712,135 women, 367,537 more than a year ago and 47.4% of the total. Foreign affiliation approached 3.7 million for the first time, with 3,699,878 people, 16.4% of the total, after growing by 598,378 in a year. Within that group, 490,586 contributors are linked to the extraordinary regularisation process launched in April, with Colombia leading at 27.6% and Venezuela next at 15.7%. The self-employed passed 3.5 million for the first time, reaching 3,501,598, up 2.3% year on year. Temporary employment fell to 12.1% of the total, compared with 28.3% in October 2021, and among the under-30s it dropped to 19.9%, from 51.7% five years ago. A total of 1,491,069 contracts were registered, of which 645,173 were permanent, 43.27% of the total. Unemployment, however, rose by 43,128 people to 2,422,633, although it fell by 21,133 in a year and is the lowest for an October since 2007. --- The positions --- The figures support a reading of labour inclusion gaining weight, because growth comes with more women in work, foreign affiliation already at 16.4% of the total and far lower temporary employment than five years ago. Against that reading, the rise in unemployment, concentrated in services, is a reminder that autumn still destroys seasonal jobs. --- What remains unknown --- It remains to be seen whether affiliation will keep its pace once the momentum of construction, which led annual growth at 7.3%, moderates. It also remains to be seen whether September unemployment coverage, at 80.82% and the highest for that month, with 1,763,649 beneficiaries and an average benefit of 1,233.9 euros, will hold in the coming months. --- Unanswered questions --- Will female employment keep advancing within total affiliation? Will the contribution of foreign workers linked to the regularisation launched in April become permanent? Will temporary employment among the under-30s keep falling? Will unemployment fall again once the seasonal effect of autumn passes? --- EPM analysis --- The record matters for its composition as much as for its size, because employment grows among women, among foreign workers and among the self-employed, with gains of 16.1% in electricity, gas and air conditioning supply and 15% in telecommunications and computing. That broader base describes a labour market that is less precarious than in 2021. 📌 EPM Take: In EPM's view, the central fact of October is not only the record figure of 22,624,165 contributors, but who sustains that record, with female employment at 10,712,135, foreign affiliation close to 3.7 million and the self-employed above 3.5 million for the first time. That composition, together with temporary employment reduced to 12.1%, points to a labour market that is more inclusive and less fragile than five years ago, without hiding the seasonal rise in unemployment.
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