Number of unemployed rises in January by 57,257

The number of unemployed registered with the Public Employment Services rose by 57,257 in the month of January on with the previous month.

Unemployment has risen each January since records began. Over the last eight years, unemployment has risen in January by an average of 126,563 people.

This means that recorded unemployment now stands at 3,760,231, maintaining the lowest level for the last seven years.
In seasonally-adjusted terms, unemployment fell by 33,524 people in January.

Compared with January 2016, unemployment has fallen by 390,524 people, the highest fall recorded in the month of January since records began. The year-on-year reduction in recorded unemployment stood at 9.41%, the sharpest fall for the month of January since 1999.

Unemployment among the under-25s has fallen over the last year at a rate of 12.3%, well above the general average of 9.41%.

By sector of economic activity, recorded unemployment fell in the industrial sector by 1,103 (down 0.32%), in the construction sector by 7,833 (down 2.08%) and for first-time job seekers by 4,838 (down 1.54%). In contrast, unemployment rose in the agriculture sector by 4,102 (up 2.42%) and in the services sector by 66,929% (up 2.68%).

Recorded unemployment fell in the Balearic Islands by 192. However it rose in the other 16 autonomous regions, particularly in Madrid (9,667), Andalusia (9,417) and the Region of Valencia (6,845).

Increase in permanent employment contracts

The number of contracts registered in January was 1,633,592, the highest number in the month of January for 11 years. This represents an increase of 236,663 (up16.94%) on the same month in 2016.

In January 2017, 150,162 permanent employment contracts were registered, representing an increase of 24,550 (up 19.54%) on the same month of 2016.