Unemployment Rate in Spain increased to 11.36 percent in the first quarter of 2025 from 10.61 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Spain Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

At a rate of 11.27 percent in the second quarter of 2024, Spain was one of the countries with the highest unemployment rates in the European Union. As of the third quarter of 2005, the unemployment rate in Spain was at roughly 8.4 percent, the lowest recorded in the period under consideration. However, a few years later, by the third quarter of 2009, it had more than doubled. It was not until 2016 that Spain witnessed a downward trend in its unemployment rate. Unemployment in Spain The age group with the highest distribution of unemployment is that of teenagers (16 to 19 years). Recent quarterly unemployment figures in Spain show that unemployment peaked in the first quarter of 2013, whereby there were approximately 6.28 million inhabitants unemployed, by the same quarter in 2024, unemployment had decreased by over 3 million. This trend is also reflected in the number of people in employment in Spain. The situation in the European Union Spain was the European country with the highest unemployment rate in August 2023, with nearly 12 percent of the labor force out of work. This figure is considerably higher than that of the rest of the European Union, which had an average unemployment rate of six percent as of the same period. In terms of youth unemployment, figures in the European Union reached 14 percent in August 2023, although the numbers varies greatly across the countries. While Greece and Spain topped the list at a youth unemployment rate of 23.5 and 26.8 percent, Germany was at the bottom of the list with just 5.7 percent of its youth out of a job.

Youth Unemployment Rate in Spain decreased to 25.60 percent in April from 26.50 percent in March of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Spain Youth Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Spain - Unemployment rate was 10.80% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Spain - Unemployment rate - last updated from the EUROSTAT on June of 2025. Historically, Spain - Unemployment rate reached a record high of 26.30% in March of 2013 and a record low of 10.80% in December of 2024.

The unemployment rate in Spain was highest in the southern regions as of the first quarter of 2024. During the period under consideration, the autonomous city of Melilla registered Spain's highest unemployment rate at 29 percent. Extremadura, a landlocked southern region bordering Portugal, ranked fourth at 13.76 percent. On the other hand, the northern regions, such as the Basque Country or Cantabria, had a much lower unemployment rate of less than eight percent.

After the 2008 financial crisis, many Spaniards lost their jobs and the Mediterranean country was left with one of the highest unemployment rates in the European Union. In recent years, at least until the economic crisis provoked by the COVID-19, everything pointed at a slow but sure recovery of the job market in Spain, although the unemployment rate among the younger age groups remained still quite high. In fact, over 42 percent of those aged 16-19 did not have a job between 2020 and 2022. This figure goes down to approximately 25.5 percent in ages 20-24 and 15.58 for 25 to 29-year-olds. In stark contrast, youth unemployment figures in the European Union reached 13.8 percent in April 2023. The unemployed rate for under 25s was the highest in Spain, followed by Greece and Italy, all the three Mediterranean countries featuring rates of over 20 percent in the younger workforce groups.

An ongoing and tough recovery

Spanish unemployment rate skyrocketed in 2008, jumping from eight percent in the first quarter that year up to 17.24 percent during the same quarter a year after. The Spanish unemployment crisis hit hardest in 2013, when a record high of 27 percent of the population did not have a job. In numbers, that share translates into 6.3 million professionals in 2013 left out of the workforce. The job market initiated a recovery thereafter, making moderate and laborious progress and reducing the numbers to approximately 3.1 million unemployed workers in the first quarter of 2023. The impact of the coronavirus on the Spanish economy caused the unemployment rate to surge again throughout 2020, but still remained far from the figures reached after the financial crisis.

The unemployment situation in the European Union

Spain was the European country with the highest unemployment rate in August 2023, with 11.5 percent of the labor force out of work. The unemployment rate in Greece, in second place, stood at a rate of 10.9 percent in that timeframe, which is still considerably higher than that of the rest of the European Union.

The autonomous city of Ceuta topped the list of the Spanish provinces with the highest unemployment rate as of the second quarter of 2024, with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent, followed by the autonomous city of Melilla with 27.93 percent. As can be observed in the chart, the southern regions of Spain, as well as Canary Islands, are greatly affected by this phenomenon. In fact, the largest southern region, Andalusia, has a long history of unemployment difficulties, with seven of its eight provinces represented on this list and historical data that records unemployment figures of over 18 percent in the last years.The national unemployment figures have improved significantly over the last few years after a sharp increase caused by the 2008 financial crisis, which launched the country to rates of approximately 26 percent in 2014 up from a record low of 8 percent in 2006.

Key information about Spain Unemployment Rate

• Spain Unemployment Rate dropped to 10.61% in Dec 2024, from the previously reported figure of 11.21% in Sep 2024.
• Spain Unemployment Rate is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2021 to Dec 2024, with an average rate of 12.71%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 16.14% in Mar 2021 and a record low of 10.61% in Dec 2024.
• The data is reported by reported by National Statistics Institute.
• In the latest reports, Spain Population reached 48.09 million people in Dec 2023.

Long Term Unemployment Rate in Spain decreased to 3.60 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 3.70 percent in the third quarter of 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Spain Long Term Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Spain youth unemployment rate for 2024 was 27.01%, a 1.74% decline from 2023.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Spain youth unemployment rate for 2023 was <strong>28.75%</strong>, a <strong>1.1% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Spain youth unemployment rate for 2022 was <strong>29.85%</strong>, a <strong>4.99% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>Spain youth unemployment rate for 2021 was <strong>34.84%</strong>, a <strong>3.47% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
</ul>Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.

Spain Unemployment Rate: 20 to 24 Years data was reported at 30.100 % in Sep 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 30.970 % for Jun 2018. Spain Unemployment Rate: 20 to 24 Years data is updated quarterly, averaging 32.930 % from Sep 1976 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 169 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 53.390 % in Mar 2013 and a record low of 8.080 % in Sep 1976. Spain Unemployment Rate: 20 to 24 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.G025: Unemployment Rate: Labour Force Survey: by Age Group and Sex.

Spain - Unemployment rate: From 55 to 64 years was 10.50% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Spain - Unemployment rate: From 55 to 64 years - last updated from the EUROSTAT on May of 2025. Historically, Spain - Unemployment rate: From 55 to 64 years reached a record high of 20.00% in December of 2014 and a record low of 5.80% in December of 2006.

In 2024, the youth unemployment rate in Spain decreased by 1.7 percentage points (-5.91 percent) compared to 2023. Nevertheless, the last two years recorded a significantly higher youth unemployment rate than the preceding years.The youth unemployment rate of a country or region refers to the share of the total workforce aged 15 to 24 that is currently without work, but actively searching for employment. It does not include economically inactive persons such as full-time students or the long-term unemployed.Find more statistics on other topics about Spain with key insights such as employment level in services as a share of total employment for men, labor participation rate among the total population aged between 15 and 64, and employment level in services as a share of total employment.

Spain - Youth unemployment rate was 26.50% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Spain - Youth unemployment rate - last updated from the EUROSTAT on May of 2025. Historically, Spain - Youth unemployment rate reached a record high of 55.50% in December of 2013 and a record low of 17.90% in December of 2006.

Spain Unemployment Rate: 25 to 29 Years data was reported at 19.310 % in Sep 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 20.570 % for Jun 2018. Spain Unemployment Rate: 25 to 29 Years data is updated quarterly, averaging 23.370 % from Jun 1987 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 126 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 35.090 % in Mar 2013 and a record low of 8.090 % in Jun 2007. Spain Unemployment Rate: 25 to 29 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.G025: Unemployment Rate: Labour Force Survey: by Age Group and Sex.

Spain Unemployment Rate: Galicia data was reported at 13.990 % in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 15.080 % for Mar 2018. Spain Unemployment Rate: Galicia data is updated quarterly, averaging 14.555 % from Mar 2002 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 66 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.200 % in Mar 2014 and a record low of 6.630 % in Sep 2007. Spain Unemployment Rate: Galicia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.G026: Unemployment Rate: Labour Force Survey: by Region.

Spain Unemployment Rate: Extremadura data was reported at 23.850 % in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 25.940 % for Mar 2018. Spain Unemployment Rate: Extremadura data is updated quarterly, averaging 22.365 % from Mar 2002 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 66 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 35.670 % in Mar 2013 and a record low of 11.130 % in Sep 2006. Spain Unemployment Rate: Extremadura data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.G026: Unemployment Rate: Labour Force Survey: by Region.

Spain: Unemployment rate forecast: The latest value from 2030 is 11 percent, unchanged from 11 percent in 2029. In comparison, the world average is 6.28 percent, based on data from 100 countries. Historically, the average for Spain from 1980 to 2030 is 16.19 percent. The minimum value, 8.23 percent, was reached in 2007 while the maximum of 26.1 percent was recorded in 2013.

Spain Unemployment Rate: Aragon data was reported at 9.870 % in Sep 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.970 % for Jun 2018. Spain Unemployment Rate: Aragon data is updated quarterly, averaging 11.580 % from Mar 2002 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 67 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.850 % in Mar 2014 and a record low of 4.730 % in Sep 2004. Spain Unemployment Rate: Aragon data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.G026: Unemployment Rate: Labour Force Survey: by Region.

Women and Men in Spain: Unemployment rate according to age group and sex. Gender breech. Annual. National.