Social security system has 644,337 more contributors than a year ago

In year-on year terms, July closed with an average of 644,337 more contributors (up 3.61%), the best figure for a month of July in the last 11 years.

Almost 2.4 million (2,338,582) of the jobs shed during the crisis have now been recovered (70% of those jobs lost).

Another significant figure is the number of female contributors to the social security system, which, at 8,484,137 workers, is the highest figure on record for women in work for a month of July.

If we analyse contributor trends over the year (taking the difference between the number of contributors from July 2017 and those from December last year), it can be seen that the social security system now has 640,274 more contributors, the highest number on record with the exception of the extraordinary year of 2005 (920,033), following the mass regularisation of immigrants.

For the State Secretary for the Social Security, Tomás Burgos, "July shows strongly positive monthly and, above all, annual rates. And we have now exceeded the figure of 18.5 million contributors (in fact, this was exceeded in the first 10 days of last month)".

"Economic growth in Spain continues to strongly translate to a rise in contributor numbers, which is 0.5 points higher than the growth figure. Furthermore, revenue continues to rise significantly higher than the figure for growth in contributor numbers".

Monthly change

The General Regime posted a rise of 62,364 contributors (up 0.41%), to stand at 15,188,083. Almost all economic sectors saw a rise in July, with noteworthy rises in the number of contributors in Healthcare Activities and Social Services, up 50,584, or 3.53%; in the Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorbikes, up 44,388, or 1.87%; in the Hotel and Catering Industry, up 39,253, or 2.92%; in Administrative Activities and Auxiliary Services, up 21,839, or 1.74% and in Manufacturing Industry, up 13,896, or 0.79%.

The Special System for Agricultural Workers posted a decline of 45,378 contributors (down 5.75%), as a result of the drought in the countryside. The sector now has an average total of 744,293 contributors. In turn, the Special System for Domestic Workers fell by 3,178 (down 0.74%) to stand at a total of 425,355 workers.

3,229,905 contributors were registered under the Regime for Self-Employed Workers, following a decline of 8,506 people (down 0.26%).

A rise of 2,360 contributors was posted in the Special Regime for Seamen (up 3.56%), to a total of 68,684 workers. Finally, the Regime for Coal Workers posted a rise of four contributors to a total of 2,658 workers in July.

By region, the number of contributor grew in 10 of the autonomous regions in July. The five largest increases in absolute terms correspond to Catalonia (23,953), Galicia (16,721), Valencia (12,849), the Balearic Islands (12,215) and Castile and Leon (8,493). In contrast, the largest declines in numbers were posted in the Region of Madrid (down 13,576) and Andalusia (down 10,939).

Comparison with 2016

In year-on-year terms, July closed with an average of 644,337 more contributors (up 3.61%). Specifically, the General Regime posted buoyant results, with a rise of 619,135 contributors, up 4.25%. This rise stands at 4.6% when looking at the General Regime in a strict sense (discounting the Special Systems for Agricultural Workers and Domestic Workers).

It should be noted that the rate rose by 0.78% under the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers, which translates into an increase of 24,877 workers. The Regime for Seamen rose by 1.13% (up 769), while the Regime for Coal Workers posted a decline of 44 contributors (down 14.32%).

Compared with last year, the number of workers has increased in all provinces and autonomous regions, except Palencia (down 851) and the autonomous city of Melilla (down 136). Particularly noteworthy are the Balearic Islands, with an increase of 5.4%, the Canary Islands, with an increase of 5.14%, the Region of Murcia, with an increase of 4.49%, the Region of Valencia, with an increase of 4.42%, Catalonia, with an increase of 4.07% and Andalusia, with an increase of 4.05%.

Non official translation