​Number of contributors to Spanish social security system rises by 223,192 in May, the largest monthly gain since July 2005

In year-on year terms, the fifth month of this year closed with an average of 683,575 more contributors (up 3.87%), the best rate in both absolute terms and in the increase recorded since 2006, a year that cannot be compared due to the effects of the regularisation of foreigners.

Almost 2.2 million (2,194,667) of the jobs shed during the crisis have now been recovered, representing 65.6% of those jobs lost.

Another significant figure is the number of female contributors to the social security system, which, at 8,502,457 workers, is higher than the figure for April and is now at its highest level ever. This represents 46.35% of all workers.

The number of companies incorporated has grown by 21,264 (one month behind), the best figure on record.

Monthly change

The General Regime posted a rise of 207,571 contributors (up 1.4%), to stand at 15,048,625. All economic sectors saw a rise in May, with noteworthy rises in the number of contributors in the Hotel and Catering Industry, up 65,409, or 5.26%; in Administrative Activities and Auxiliary Services, up 24,349, or 2.01%; in the Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorbikes, up 15,793, or 0.68%; in Manufacturing Industry, up 14,465, or 0.83%; in Construction, up 14,327, or 1.94% and in Transport and Storage, up 10,790, or 1.65%.

The Special System for Agricultural Workers posted a rise of 29,087 contributors (up 3.67%). The sector now has an average total of 820.811 contributors. In turn, the Special System for Domestic Workers fell by 254 (down 0.06%) to stand at a total of 429,092 workers.

3,229,086 contributors were registered under the Regime for Self-Employed Workers, following a rise of 15,079 people (up 0.47%).

A rise of 524 contributors was posted in the Special Regime for Seamen (up 0.81%), to a total of 65,040 workers. Finally, the Regime for Coal Workers posted a rise of 18 contributors (up 0.7%) to a total of 2,664 workers in May.

The number of National Insurance contributors rose in all autonomous regions in May.

Comparison with 2016

In year-on-year terms, May closed with an average of 683,575 more contributors (up 3.87%). Specifically, the General Regime posted buoyant results, with a rise of 652,116 contributors, up 4.53%. This rise stands at 4.7% when looking at the General Regime in a strict sense (discounting the Special Systems for Agricultural Workers and Domestic Workers), an all-time record for any month.

It should be noted that the rate rose by 0.97% under the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers, which translates into an increase of 15,079 workers. The Regime for Seamen rose by 0.81% (up 524), while the Regime for Coal Workers posted a rise of 18 contributors (up 0.7%).

Compared with last year, the number of workers has increased in all provinces and autonomous regions, except in the autonomous city of Melilla (down 0.91%). Particularly noteworthy are the Balearic Islands, with an increase of 6.6%, the Canary Islands, with an increase of 5.61%, the Region of Murcia, with an increase of 5.26%, Andalusia, with an increase of 4.61% and the Region of Valencia, with an increase of 4.52%.