The national unemployment rate increased 0.2 percentage points (pp) year on year, which was a result of the faster growth in the labour force (1.5%) than in employed persons (1.2%).
The national unemployment rate increased 0.2 percentage points (pp) year on year, which was a result of the faster growth in the labour force (1.5%) than in employed persons (1.2%).
The national unemployment rate was 8.4% in the September–November 2025 quarter (SON 2025), according to information from the National Employment Survey (ENE), which is produced by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
The unemployment rate increased 0.2 pp year on year, which was a result of the faster growth in the labour force (1.5%) than in employed persons (1.2%). The increase in the number of unemployed persons (4.0%) was influenced by the rises in the redundant (2.8%) and first-time job seekers (16.2%).
Compared to the same period of the previous year, the participation rate increased 0.3 pp to stand at 61.9% and the employment rate increased 0.2 pp to stand at 56.7%. The population outside the labour force showed no variation, which was due to the net effect of the rise in the routinely inactive (0.3%) and the fall in inactive persons who are potentially active (-1.0%).
The unemployment rate for women decreased 0.3 pp year on year to stand at 8.8%. The decrease was due to the slower growth in the labour force (2.0%) than in employed women (2.3%). For women, the decrease in the number of the unemployed (-1.1%) can exclusively be attributed to the fall in the redundant (-2.2%). Meanwhile, the participation rate rose 0.6 pp to stand at 53.0% and the employment rate rose 0.7 pp to stand at 48.3%. The decrease in women outside the labour force (-0.3%) was influenced by inactive persons who are potentially active and by future starters.
The unemployment rate for men (8.1%) increased 0.6 pp year on year as a result of the faster growth in the labour force (1.1%) than in employed men (0.4%). In the same period, the increase in the number of unemployed men (8.8%) was influenced by the rises in the redundant (7.3%) and first-time job seekers (27.4%). Meanwhile, the participation rate rose 0.2 pp to stand at 71.3% and the employment rate fell 0.3 pp to stand at 65.5%. The increase in the number of men outside the labour force (0.5%) can exclusively be attributed to the routinely inactive.
Increase in employed persons
The increase in the estimated total number of employed persons (1.2%) was influenced by the rise in women (2.3%) and men (0.4%).
By economic sector, the growth in the employed population was influenced by the rises in administrative and support services (31.0%), transport (5.5%), and information and communications (13.6%). By occupational category, the growth was influenced by the rises in informal wage earners (6.2%) and own-account workers (1.1%).
Labour informality
The informal employment rate fell 0.3 pp year on year to stand at 26.6%. The informal employment rate for women fell 0.5 pp to stand at 28.4%, and the rate for men fell 0.2 pp to stand at 25.2%.
By economic sector, the greatest positive influence on the informally employed was the increase in administrative and support services (27.6%) while the greatest negative influence was the decrease in manufacturing (-6.6%). By occupational category, the greatest positive influence was the rise in wage earners of the private sector (8.4%) and the greatest negative influence was the fall in own-account workers (-4.5%).
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 8.6%, an increase of 0.2 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 2.3% year on year, and the average number of hours worked rose 1.0% to stand at 36.8 hours. Men worked an average of 39.0 hours, and women worked an average of 33.9 hours.
The combined rate of unemployment and the potential labour force showed no variation, remaining at 16.4%. This indicator stood at 14.1% for men and 19.2% for women. The gender gap was 5.1 pp.
Metropolitan Region
In the Metropolitan Region, the unemployment rate for the September–November 2025 quarter increased 0.3 pp year on year to stand at 8.9%. In the same period, the estimated total number of employed persons increased 1.2%. By economic sector, the increase can mainly be attributed to the rises in administrative and support services (50.7%) and information and communications (13.5%).
See:
ENE National Bulletin no. 326: September–November 2025 (English translation)
ENE Metropolitan Region Bulletin 114: September – May 2025 (in Spanish)
ENE Statistical Note, no. 44: September – May 2025 (in Spanish)
National Employment Survey (ENE) Presentation of Results – Tuesday 30 December 2025 (in Spanish)