Catalonia leads the unemployment rebound in August
In the set of the State also grows unemployment, but it remains at minimums since 2007
BarcelonaCatalonia closes the month of August with the now traditional rise in unemployment that marks the end of the summer season. According to data published this Wednesday by the Spanish Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, the Principality concluded the eighth month of the year with 329,468 job seekers, an increase of about 14,594 people compared to July, up 4.63%. If compared with August 2025, that is to say, the rise is more controlled, with about 2,100 more unemployed people, an increase of 0.64%. In this way, the Catalan labor market moves away from the lows it reached 12 months ago, when it registered 327,365 unemployed, the lowest figure since 2007.
In fact, the monthly increase is much more intense than what was registered in the previous year: in 2025, Catalonia gained about 7,942 unemployed people. Furthermore, a year ago there was an annual decrease in unemployment of 8,625 people; while this year more than 2,100 have been added. Compared to July, Catalonia is the territory that gains the most unemployed, far above the Community of Madrid (+6,881 job seekers) and the Valencian Community (+5,847).
In the Spanish state as a whole, at the end of August, there has been an increase in unemployment of 44,419 people compared to July. Nevertheless, in annual terms, the ministry led by Yolanda Díaz counts a decrease of 70,593 unemployed people, down to 2,355,918. In the Spanish case, the figure does remain at its lowest levels since before the 2008 financial crisis. Several territories are reducing the number of unemployed compared to 2025, although the bulk of the cut is concentrated in Andalusia, which registers 530,256 unemployed people, 62,355 fewer than a year ago.
Foreigners and temporary workers
Regarding the figures of foreign workers, an increase in unemployed people is registered in practically all of Spain, in line with the forecasts for the massive regularization promoted by the government of Pedro Sánchez. Specifically, the Principality closes August with 72,859 foreign people without work, about 4,800 more than in July and about 10,490 more than in the same month of the previous year. The trend is repeated in the whole of Spain: the ministry reports about 373,577 foreign unemployed, a month-on-month increase of 15,956 people compared to the previous month, and nearly 51,000 in year-on-year terms.
As for new contracts, Catalonia has registered, according to the ministry's report, 182,326 during August, a year-on-year increase of 22,282, 13.92% more than a year ago. Of these, the majority are temporary, with 106,734 contracts of this type accounted for, about 9,446 more than a year ago. For their part, new permanent contracts rise to 75,592, a jump of more than 12,800 when compared to August 2025, a notable 20.45% more.
In the whole of the state, Labour and Social Economy reports 1.14 million new contracts, about 104,665 more than a year ago. Of these, 440,274 have been permanent (54,418 more) and 704,553 temporary, a year-on-year increase of just over 50,000 hires.
Díaz has shown her satisfaction with the general data presented this Wednesday. According to the minister, employment "drives the Spanish economy." For the minister, the rise in unemployment above what is usual for these dates, which has been particularly noticeable in Catalonia, is due to the regularization of migrant people, who "usually register for the first time in employment offices." On the other hand, the head of Labour and Social Economy has highlighted the percentage of new permanent contracts, which exceeds 38% of the total "compared to 8.5% before the labor reform".
