The national unemployment rate was 8.5% in the July–September 2025 quarter (JAS 2025), according to information from the National Employment Survey (ENE), which is produced by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

The national unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percentage points (pp) year on year, which was a result of the slower growth in the labour force (1.2%) than in employed persons (1.5%). In the same period, the decrease in the number of unemployed persons (-1.3%) can be exclusively attributed to the fall in the redundant (-1.4%) because first-time job seekers showed no variation.

The participation rate increased 0.2 pp year-on-year to stand at 61.9%, and the employment rate increased 0.3 pp to stand at 56.6%. Meanwhile, the increase in the population outside the labour force (0.4%) was influenced by the rises in the routinely inactive (0.5%) and future starters (27.6%).

The unemployment rate for women decreased 0.1 pp year on year to stand at 9.1% as a result of the slower growth in the labour force (1.3%) than in employed women (1.4%). In the same period, the decrease in the number of unemployed women (-0.2%) can be exclusively attributed to the fall in the redundant (-0.4%). For women, the participation rate rose 0.2 pp to stand at 52.8% and the employment rate rose 0.3 pp to stand at 48.0%. The increase in the number of women outside the labour force (0.5%) was influenced by first-time job seekers and by inactive women who are potentially active.

The unemployment rate for men (8.1%) decreased 0.3 pp year on year as a result of the slower growth in the labour force (1.2%) than in employed men (1.5%). In the same period, the number of unemployed men fell 2.1%. For men, the participation rate rose 0.1 pp to stand at 71.4% and the employment rate rose 0.4 pp to stand at 65.7%. The increase in men outside the labour force (0.3%) 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 (1.5%) was influenced by the rises in men (1.5%) and women (1.4%).

According to economic sector, the growth in employed persons can be attributed to the rises in information and communications (21.3%), administrative and support services (12.9%), and health activities (5.4%). According to occupational category, the growth can be attributed to the rises in formal wage earners (0.9%) and informal wage earners (3.7%).

Labour informality

The informal employment rate fell 0.8 pp year on year to stand at 26.2%. The number of informally employed decreased 1.4% year-on-year, which can by explained by the falls in men (-2.3%) and women (-0.4%).

According to economic sector, the decrease in the informally employed was due to falls in commerce (-5.1%) and manufacturing (-4.8%). By occupational category, the decrease was due to the falls in own-account workers (-5.1%) and wage earners of the public sector (-8.1%).

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%, showing no variation 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 2.2% year on year while the average number of hours worked rose 0.7% to stand at 36.4 hours. Men worked an average of 38.5 hours, and women worked an average of 33.6 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 19.3% for women, and the gender gap was 5.1 pp.

Metropolitan Region 

In the Metropolitan Region, the unemployment rate for the July–September 2025 quarter decreased 0.3 pp year on year to stand at 8.8%. In the same period, the estimated increase in the total number of employed persons (1.2%) was mainly influenced by the rises in the economic sectors of information and communications (30.8%), manufacturing (8.2%), and administrative and support services (17.4%).

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