The national unemployment rate was 9.4% for the March – May 2026 quarter (MAM 2026), according to information from the National Employment Survey (ENE), which is produced by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

The twelve-month increase in the national unemployment rate (0.5 pp) was due to the faster growth in the labour force (1.3%) than in employed persons (0.8%). In the same period, the increase in unemployed persons (6.9%) was influenced by the rises in the unemployed with prior work experience (5.9%) and first-time job seekers (16.4%).

The participation rate increased 0.2 pp year on year to stand at 62.4%, and the employment rate decreased 0.1 pp to stand at 56.5%. In the same period, the increase in the population outside the labour force (0.2%) was influenced by the rises in the routinely inactive (0.2%) and inactive persons who are potentially active (0.2%).

For women, the unemployment rate increased 0.4 pp year on year to stand at 10.5%. The increase was due to the faster growth in the labour force (2.0%) than in employed women (1.5%). Meanwhile, the increase in the number of unemployed women (6.5%) can be attributed to the rises in the unemployed with prior work experience (6.0%) and first-time job seekers (10.5%). For women, the participation rate rose 0.6 pp to stand at 53.6% and the employment rate rose 0.3 pp to stand at 48.0%. The fall in the number of women outside the labour force (-0.4%) was influenced by inactive persons who are potentially active.

For men, the unemployment rate increased 0.5 pp year on year to stand at 8.6%. The increase was a result of the faster growth in the labour force (0.8%) than in employed men (0.2%). In the same period, the increase in the number of unemployed men (7.3%) was due to the unemployed with prior work experience (5.8%) and first-time job seekers (24.1%). For men, the participation rate fell 0.1 pp to stand at 71.6% and the employment rate fell 0.4 pp to stand at 65.5%. The increase in the number of men outside the labour force (1.2%) was influenced by the routinely inactive and by inactive persons who are potentially active.

Increase in employed persons

The estimated twelve-month variation in the total number of employed persons (0.8%) was influenced by the rises in women (1.5%) and men (0.2%).

According to economic sector, the growth in employed persons can mainly be attributed to the increases in manufacturing (5.2%), health activities (6.0%), and professional activities (11.6%). By occupational category, the growth can be attributed to increases in own-account workers (5.3%) and informal wage earners (7.1%).

Labour informality

The informal employment rate increased 1.0 pp year on year to stand at 27.0%. For women, the informal employment rate rose 1.2 pp to stand at 28.8%. For men, the rate rose 0.9 pp to stand at 25.6%.

The increase in the number of informally employed persons (4.6%) was influenced by the rises in women (5.7%) and men (3.7%). By economic sector, the increase in the informally employed can mainly be attributed to the rises in commerce (7.2%) and manufacturing (15.4%). By occupational category, the increase was influenced by the rises in wage earners of the private sector (7.2%) and own-account workers (4.2%).

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 9.2%, an increase of 0.3 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, decreased 0.1% year on year. Similarly, the average number of hours worked decreased 0.8% to stand at 37.0 hours. Men worked an average of 39.1 hours, and women worked an average of 34.3 hours.

Metropolitan Region 

In the Metropolitan Region, the unemployment rate for the March – May 2026 quarter increased 0.3 pp year on year to stand at 9.8%. In the same period, the estimated total number of employed persons increased 0.8%. According to economic sector, the greatest positive influences were the rises in manufacturing (10.3%), professional activities (15.6%), and commerce (3.5%).

See:

ENE National Bulletin 332: March – May 2026 (English translation)

ENE Metropolitan Region Bulletin 120: March – May 2026 (Spanish only)

ENE Statistical Note 50: March – May 2026 (Spanish only)

Presentation – National Employment Survey (ENE) 30 June 2026 (Spanish only)