The national unemployment rate decreased 0.3 percentage points (pp) year on year, which was a result of the slower growth in the labour force (0.9%) than in employed persons (1.3%).
The national unemployment rate was 8.6% in the June–August 2025 quarter (JJA 2025), according to information from the National Employment Survey (ENE), which is produced by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
The national unemployment rate decreased 0.3 percentage points (pp) year on year, which was a result of the slower growth in the labour force (0.9%) than in employed persons (1.3%). The decrease in the number of unemployed persons (-2.9%) can be exclusively attributed to the fall in the redundant (-3.4%).
The participation rate showed no year-on-year variation, remaining at 61.8%, and the employment rate increased 0.2 pp to stand at 56.5%. Meanwhile, the increase in the population outside the labour force (0.9%) was influenced by the rises in the routinely inactive (0.8%) and future starters (22.7%).
The unemployment rate for women decreased 0.1 pp year on year to stand at 9.3% as a result of the faster growth in the labour force (1.2%) than in employed women (1.3%). In the same period, the increase in the number of unemployed women (0.6%) can be exclusively attributed to the rise in first-time job seekers (13.5%). For women, the participation rate rose 0.2 pp to stand at 52.8% and the employment rate rose 0.2 pp to stand at 47.9%. The increase in the number of women outside the labour force (0.6%) was influenced by the routinely inactive and by future starters.
The unemployment rate for men (8.0%) decreased 0.5 pp year on year as a result of the slower growth in the labour force (0.7%) than in employed men (1.3%). In the same period, the number of unemployed men fell 6.0%. For men, the participation rate fell 0.1 pp to stand at 71.3% and the employment rate rose 0.3 pp to stand at 65.6%. The number of men outside the labour force (1.4%) was influenced by the routinely inactive and by future starters.
Increase in employed persons
The twelve-month increase in the total number of employed persons (1.3%) was influenced by the rises in women (1.3%) and men (1.3%).
According to economic sector, the growth in employed persons can be attributed to the rises in health activities (7.6%), manufacturing (5.7%), and communications (22.8%). According to occupational category, the growth can be attributed to the rises in formal wage earners (1.4%) and informal wage earners (5.6%).
Labour informality
The informal employment rate fell 0.4 pp year on year to stand at 26.0%. The number of informally employed persons showed no year-on-year variation, which was due to the net effect of the rise in women (0.3%) and the fall in men (-0.3%).
According to economic sector, the greatest positive influence on the informally employed was the rise in administrative and support services (13.7%), while the greatest negative influence was the fall in commerce (-3.9%). By occupational category, the greatest positive influence was the rise in wage earners of the private sector (7.3%) and the greatest negative influence was the fall in own-account workers (-3.4%).
Seasonality
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (which eliminates the effects of exogenous seasonal factors of a non-economic nature that influence its current behavior) stood at 8.4%, a decrease of 0.1 pp compared to the previous moving quarter.
Working hours and indicators of labour underutilization
The volume of work, as measured by the quantity of hours per week actually worked by employed persons, increased 1.3% year on year while the average number of hours worked rose 0.1% to stand at 37.0 hours. Men worked an average of 39.2 hours, and women worked an average of 34.1 hours.
The combined rate of unemployment and the potential labour force (LU3) decreased 0.3 pp to stand at 16.5%. This indicator stood at 14.2% for men and 19.2% for women, and the gender gap was 5.0 pp.
Metropolitan Region
In the Metropolitan Region, the unemployment rate for the June–August 2025 quarter decreased 0.3 pp year on year to stand at 8.9%. In the same period, the estimated increase in the total number of employed persons (1.0%) was mainly influenced by the rises in the economic sectors of communications (34.5%) and manufacturing (10.6%).
See:
ENE National Bulletin no. 323: June–August 2025 (English translation)
ENE Metropolitan Region Bulletin 111: June–August 2025 (in Spanish)
ENE Statistical Note, no. 41: June–August 2025 (in Spanish)
National Employment Survey (ENE) Presentation of Results - 30 September 2025 (in Spanish)