Spain's unemployment rate climbed to 10.83% in the first quarter of 2026, with the economy losing 170,300 jobs. This marks the most significant quarterly increase in unemployment since 2013, driven by seasonal factors and economic pressures.
Key points
- The number of unemployed individuals rose by 231,500, bringing the total to 2.7 million.
- The service sector experienced the highest job losses, with 228,400 positions eliminated following the end of the holiday season.
- Total employment fell to 22.29 million, despite growth in the industrial, construction, and agricultural sectors.
- The rise in the unemployment rate follows a period where Spain had successfully kept the figure below the 10% threshold.
Why it matters
The data indicates a sharper-than-usual seasonal downturn in the Spanish labor market, raising concerns about the underlying economic impact of recent international conflicts and rising prices.
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