ACRONYMS National Statistics Institute
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27 January 2026

Economically Active Population Survey (EAPS)

Fourth Quarter 2025

Main results

  • The number of people in employment increased by 76,200 compared with the previous quarter to 22,463,300. In seasonally adjusted terms, the quarterly variation rate was 0.90%. Employment has increased by 605,400 in the last 12 months.
  • Unemployment decreased by 136,100 persons to 2,477,100. In seasonally adjusted terms it decreased by 1.00%. In the last 12 months, it decreased by 118,400 people.
  • The unemployment rate stood at 9.93% for the quarter, 52 hundredths lower than the one before.
  • The number of active workers fell by 59,900, reaching 24,940,400. Over the past year, it increased by 487,100 people.

The number of employed individuals increased by 76,200 in the fourth quarter of 2025, and stood at 22,463,300. The quarterly variation rate was 0.34%.

Variation of employment in the fourth quarter compared with the third of the same year

Thousands

By gender, employment increased this quarter by 20,400 men and 55,800 women. By nationality, it increased by 23,700 among Spaniards, including those who hold dual nationality, and by 52,500 among foreign nationals.

By sector, employment increased in Services (78,300 more), Agriculture (33,400), and Construction (2,300). At the same time, it fell in Industry (37,800 fewer).

Full-time employment decreased by 115,600 people. Part-time employment increased by 191,800. On the other hand, the number of salaried workers rose by 51,300, those on permanent contracts increased by 127,900 while those on temporary contracts decreased by 76,500. The number of self-employed workers increased by 22,300.

This quarter, private employment decreased by 32,500 persons to 18,821,900. Public employment increased by 108,700, standing at 3,641,400.

In the past 12 months, employment increased by 605,400 people (2.77%), with increases of 299,200 among men and 306,200 among women. By sector, the largest increase was in Services (369,900 more persons employed).

In the past 12 months, full-time employment increased by 574,700 persons and part-time employment by 30,700. On the other hand, permanent employment rose by 547,500 persons, while temporary employment increased by 22,400.

Unemployment and unemployment rate

This quarter, the number of unemployed persons decreased by 136,100 to 2,477,100. The quarterly variation in unemployment was -5.21%.

Variation of unemployment in the fourth quarter compared with the third of the same year

Thousands

The unemployment rate fell by 52 hundredths to stand at 9.93%.

By gender, the number of unemployed men decreased by 27,100 this quarter and the number of unemployed women by 109,000. The unemployment rate for women decreased by 87 hundredths, to 11.24%, and went down 20 hundredths for men, to 8.76%.

By nationality, unemployment decreased by 107,700 among Spaniards, including those with dual nationality, and by 28,300 among foreign nationals.

Unemployment fell this quarter in Services (65,400 fewer), Agriculture (-12,500) and Industry (-4,000), while it increased in Construction (up by 14,700).

Unemployment increased by 9,500 persons among those who lost their job over a year ago and decreased by 78,400 among those who are seeking their first job.

In the past 12 months, the total number of unemployed decreased by 118,400 persons (79,500 men and 38,800 women). The annual variation was -4.56%.

By sector, unemployment decreased last year in Services (down by 43,200) and Agriculture (-4,700), and increased in Industry (up 4,200) and Construction (2,600). On the other hand, the number of unemployed persons who lost their jobs over a year ago decreased by 63,200 and the number of unemployed persons looking for their first job decreased by 14,100.

Economically active population and activity rate

The active population decreased by 59,900 people in the fourth quarter of 2025, standing at 24,940,400. The number of active women decreased by 53,100, while that of active men decreased by 6,700.

By nationality, the number of active people decreased in the last quarter by 84,000 among Spaniards, and increased by 24,200 among foreigners.

The economic activity rate decreased by 36 hundredths, reaching 58.94%. That of Spanish nationals feel 34 hundredths to 57.29% and that of foreign nationals by 60 hundredths to 68.74%. The different age structure is the main reason for the difference between the two.

In annual terms, the economically active population increased by 487,100 persons. The annual variation rate was 1.99%.

Households

Households where all active members are unemployed decreased by 18,500 this quarter, to 772,300. On the other hand, households with all economically active members employed increased by 128,600 to 12,166,300.

In the last 12 months, the number of households with at least one economically active member in which those members were unemployed decreased by 61,200, while those where all active members were employed increased by 262,900.

Results by autonomous communities and provincial data

The largest increase in employment this quarter was recorded in Comunidad de Madrid (59,300 more). And the largest decrease in Illes Balears (-57,900).

In relative terms, the largest quarterly increase was recorded in Canarias (3.55%).

In terms of unemployment, the largest decrease was recorded in Comunitat Valenciana (-39,000). And the largest increase in Illes Balears (10,800 more).

Cantabria (6.77%) recorded the lowest unemployment rate this quarter. Andalucía (14.66%), the highest.

At the provincial level, a summary of the results can be found in this document and all the information is available via this link.

As with the rest of the EAPS data, employment results in this section are presented according to the Autonomous Community where the persons interviewed reside, and not according to where their workplace is.

Seasonally adjusted series

The seasonally adjusted quarterly variation rate of employment was 0.90%.

Quarterly variation rate of seasonally adjusted employment

Percentage

As regards seasonally-adjusted unemployment results, a decrease of 1.00% was observed.

Quarterly variation rate of seasonally adjusted unemployment

Percentage

The seasonally adjusted model and the employment and unemployment series can be found at this link.

Data revisions and updates

During 2025 the LFS will continue to use the CNAE-2009 classification of economic activities. The new classification CNAE-2025 will be implemented from the first quarter of 2026, the time set by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/137 to provide data with this classification for the labour force scope subject to Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

The data published today are final. All the results of this operation are available at INEbase.

Methodological note

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) has been carried out since 1964. Its current methodology from 2021 onwards adapts the previous methodology to the new European Labour Force Survey regulations.

It is a continuous, quarterly research activity addressed to families, whose main purpose is to obtain data on the labour force and its various categories (employed, unemployed), as well as on the population outside the labour market (inactive).

As of the third quarter of 2025, and once the current agreement signed with the Instituto Galego de Estatística (IGE) has expired, the additional sample of Galicia integrated in the survey since the third quarter of 2009 will disappear from the EAPS.

Type of survey:
quarterly continuous survey.
Population scope:
population residing in family homes.
Geographical scope:
the entire national territory.
Reference period of the results:
the quarter.
Reference period of the information:
the week before the interview.
Sample size:
The number of census sections is 5,010. The average number of homes selected per section was 14. Since the third quarter of 2025 there are about 46,000 dwellings and 110,000 people.
Sample type:
two-stage stratification in the first stage units, i.e. census tracts. The second-stage units are inhabited family dwellings.
Collection method:
personal, telephone and web interviews.

For more information, you can access the methodology and the standardized methodological report.

INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information in Quality at INE and Code of Best Practices.

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