The unemployment rate stands at 10.18% in the third quarter of 2026, with 2,591,200 unemployed. At the same time, the number of contributors reaches a historic high of 22.85 million.
According to the Active Population Survey (EPA) released by the National Statistics Institute (INE), reported by teleSUR, unemployment in Spain has once again surpassed 10% in September, reaching 10.18%. The number of unemployed rose to 2,591,200 people after an increase of 95,900 in the third quarter, the largest summer rise since the start of the pandemic.
The unemployment rate increased by 31 hundredths compared to the previous quarter. The rise affected all productive sectors. Services led the increase with 54,800 more unemployed, followed by agriculture (18,000), industry (14,300), and construction (4,900).
Additionally, 16,300 people joined the unemployment lists while seeking their first job, a figure that reflects the difficulties faced by young people entering the labour market.
At the same time, employment reached a new historic high. It grew by 73,600 jobs, reaching 22,852,600 contributors. This increase was supported by foreign and female employment, and was the most moderate for summer months since 2019.
The active population also reached a record, with 25,443,800 people after an increase of 169,500 in the quarter. The activity rate rose by two tenths, reaching 59.5%. This increase in job seekers explains why the unemployment rate rises even though there are more employed than ever.
In the past year, unemployment decreased by 21,900 people, while employment grew by 465,500. In seasonally adjusted figures, employment increased by 70,000 jobs, a 0.31% rise, reaching 22,729,600 employed.
The next reference on the labour market will be the new EPA, which the INE publishes quarterly.
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