The national unemployment rate was 8.3% in the November 2025–January 2026 quarter (NDJ 2025), according to information from the National Employment Survey (ENE), which is produced by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

The national unemployment increased 0.3 percentage points (pp) year on year as a result of the faster rise in the labour force (1.4%) than in employed persons (1.2%). Meanwhile, the increase in the number of unemployed persons (4.8%) was influenced by the rises in the unemployed with prior work experience (3.0%) and first-time job seekers (18.4%).

The participation rate increased 0.3 pp to stand at 62.4%, and the employment rate increased 0.1 pp to stand at 57.2%. Meanwhile, the population outside the labour force showed no year-on-year variation, which was the net effect of the increase in the potential labour force (6.1%) and the decrease in the routinely inactive (-1.0%).

For women, the unemployment rate decreased 0.4 pp to stand at 8.7% as a result of the slower growth in the labour force (2.2%) than in employed women (2.7%). The decrease in the number of unemployed women (-3.3%) was influenced by the fall in the unemployed with prior work experience (-4.8%). For women, the participation rate increased 0.7 pp to stand at 53.4% and the employment rate increased 0.8 pp to stand at 48.7%. The decrease in the number of women outside the labour force (-0.6%) was influenced by the routinely inactive and future starters.

For men, the unemployment rate increased 0.8 pp year on year to stand at 8.0%. The increase can be attributed to the net effect of the rise in the labour force (0.9%) and the absence of variation in employed men. In the same period, the rise in unemployed men (12.6%) was influenced by the increases in the unemployed with prior work experience (10.4%) and first-time job seekers (32.3%). For men, the participation rate showed no variation, remaining at 71.8%, and the employment rate fell 0.6 pp to stand at 66.1%. The increase in the number of men outside the labour force (0.9%) was influenced by the routinely inactive and the potential labour force.

Increase in employed persons

The increase in the estimated total number of employed persons (1.2%) can exclusively be attributed to the rise in women (2.7%) because the number of employed men showed no variation in the same period. 

By economic sector, the increase in the employed population was influenced by the rises in administrative and support services (20.2%), health activities (5.0%), accommodation and food service (7.7%), and manufacturing (4.0%). By occupational category, the increase was influenced by the rises in own-account workers (4.0%) and informal wage earners (6.5%).

Labour informality

The informal employment rate rose 0.5 pp year on year to stand at 26.8%. For women, the informal employment rate rose 0.1 pp to stand at 28.2%, while the rate for men rose 0.8 pp to stand at 25.7%. 

The number of informally employed persons increased 3.2% year on year. By economic sector, the increase in informally employed persons was due to the rises in administrative and support services (17.0%) and accommodation and food service (13.0%). By occupational category, the increase was influenced by the rises in wage earners of the private sector (8.8%) and own-account workers (1.1%).

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 8.6%, an increase 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 0.6% year on year. In contrast, the average number of hours worked decreased 0.5% to stand at 36.7 hours. Men worked an average of 39.2 hours, and women worked an average of 33.4 hours.

The combined rate of unemployment and potential work (which, in addition to the unemployed, includes persons outside the labour force who are available to work or who are seeking a job) increased 0.5 pp to stand at 16.9%. This indicator stood at 14.7% for men and 19.8% for women, and the gender gap was 5.1 pp.

Metropolitan Region 

In the Metropolitan Region, the estimated unemployment rate for the November 2025–January 2026 quarter increased 0.3 pp year on year to stand at 9.0% The increase can be attributed to the faster rise in the labour force (0.9%) than in employed persons (0.6%). In the same period, the increase in the number of unemployed persons (4.2%) can exclusively be attributed to the rise in first-time job seekers (65.2%). By economic sector, the main influences on the increase in the employed population were the rises in administrative and support services (28.7%) and manufacturing (7.8%). By occupational category, the main influences were the rises in informal wage earners (12.4%) and own-account workers (4.9%).

See:

ENE National Bulletin no. 328: November 2025–January 2026

ENE Metropolitan Region Bulletin no. 116: November 2025–January 2026

ENE Statistical Note no. 46: November 2025–January 2026