The number of people employed in the second quarter amounts to 19,804,900, the highest figure in the last ten years, according to data from the Active Population Survey (EPA) published by the Statistics National Institute (INE).
Employment increased by 460,800 people in the last twelve months, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.4%. The Secretary of State for Economy and Business Support, Ana de la Cueva, stressed that this growth in employment occurs "in a more balanced and sustainable macroeconomic context than ten years ago."
Highlights the increase in female employment, which for the first time exceeds nine million people, the highest figure in the entire historical series, with a growth of 2.7% year-on-year.
Job creation in the last year has focused mainly on the private sector, with 384,200 more employed, and on indefinite hiring, with 388,200 more jobs. Likewise, work has been created in all sectors except Agriculture, mainly in Services, with 371,200 more employed, followed by Construction, with 61,100, and Industry, with 41,700.
The increase in employment in the last twelve months has also been widespread in almost all Autonomous Communities. The positive evolution of the Community of Madrid stands out with 105,700 more employed, Andalusia, with 103,400, and Catalonia, with 70,700.
Record of employees with an indefinite contract
In the second quarter of 2019, 12,288,500 employees with an indefinite contract were reached, the highest figure in the entire historical series. More than 90% of salaried employment created in the last year is undefined (388,200 employed).
In the last twelve months, full-time employment has increased by 409,100 people, representing 89% of the total and part-time employment by 51,800, 11%.
The unemployment rate is reduced to 14% in a context of high growth of the active population
Unemployment fell by 259,500 people in the last 12 months (7.43%), standing at 3,230,600 people. With this reduction, the unemployment rate stands at 14%, the lowest in the last decade.
This decline in unemployment occurs in a context of an increase in the active population, which has grown at the highest year-on-year rate since 2009. Thus, the active population exceeds 23 million, its highest level since the end of 2013.
"It is a very positive sign both in terms of people's expectations and in terms of increasing the potential for growth," said Ana de la Cueva.
The number of households with all unemployed assets has been reduced in the last year by 120,400, while those with all their active members occupied have increased by 234,500.
Quarterly evolution
The number of employees increased by 333,800 people in the second quarter of the year, which represents an increase of 1.71% compared to the first quarter of 2019. The increase in employment is concentrated in the private sector, which increases by 352,900 people and However, public employment drops by 19,100. In seasonally adjusted terms, the quarterly variation is 0.31%.
Regarding unemployment figures, the number of unemployed people falls by 123,600 people compared to the first quarter of 2019. The percentage of variation with respect to the previous quarter is -3.68% and with seasonally adjusted series of 0.53%. The reduction in unemployment among women (87,300) is significantly higher than that of men (-36,300), although the rate of female unemployment, 15.78% is still more than three points higher than the male, 12.49% .
In this period, the decline in unemployment stands out among people aged 25 to 54 (-120,600) and among those who lost their jobs more than a year ago (-49,100).