Catalonia closed March with 3.73 million active workers, the highest figure for the month of March and the third highest since records began (2004), according to data published this Tuesday by the Ministry of Social Security.
Thanks to the boost of Holy Week in the third month, 32,548 jobs were created, a figure only surpassed by Andalusia (47,939 affiliates) and the Balearic Islands (33,322), other autonomies with a clear tourist impact. The sector has been the great catalyst. There have only been more members in Catalonia in two moments: in July 2023, in the middle of summer, with 3.75 million, and in June of the same year, with 3.74 million.
The push comes mainly from Barcelona, which created 17,028 jobs, with Holy Week filling hotels, restaurants and boosting service activities. They were followed by the 8,000 new members from Girona and the 6,548 from Tarragona. In Lleida, 976 average members joined in March.
Unemployment, for its part, has been reduced by almost 2,000 people in March, bringing the total number of unemployed to 344,400, according to data from the Ministry of Labor. They leave the unemployment lists mainly due to the services sector, with 1,956 fewer unemployed, while industry registers a decrease of 348 unemployed and agriculture of 31. It only grows in construction, with 58 more.
By province, Girona registers 700 fewer unemployed, Tarragona 600 and Barcelona about 550, with Lleida somewhat lower (-141).
As has happened with affiliation, Catalonia remains in the group that behaves best. Only Andalusia (-11,374 unemployed), the Canary Islands (-4,686), the Valencian Community (-3,998), Castilla y León (-2,615) and Castilla-La Mancha (-2,312) improve their data. In the Basque Country (926) and Madrid (701) they have seen unemployment increase.
