On October 2, 2026, the Spanish government reported that registered unemployment increased by 23,587 individuals in September, marking a 1% rise from August. This brings the total number of unemployed individuals registered with the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) to 2,379,505, the lowest figure for September since 2007. Despite this monthly increase, the total unemployment figure shows a decrease of 42,160 individuals compared to September 2025, representing a decline of 1.74%.
Unemployment by Economic Sector
In terms of economic sectors, unemployment decreased in Construction by 1,726 individuals (-1.04%), while it remained relatively stable in Industry, with just 39 more unemployed individuals (0.02%). Conversely, there was an increase in the Services sector, with 6,707 more unemployed (0.40%), and in Agriculture, which saw an increase of 601 individuals (0.87%). The most significant rise was among the group classified as Without Previous Employment, which saw an increase of 17,966 individuals (7.39%).
Unemployment by Gender and Age
Female unemployment rose by 9,648 women (0.68%) compared to August, bringing the total number of unemployed women to 1,428,405, the lowest level since September 2008. Male unemployment also increased, reaching 951,100, with an increase of 13,939 men (1.49%). Compared to September 2025, female unemployment has decreased by 40,499 women (-2.76%), while male unemployment has dropped by 1,661 men (-0.17%). Among young people under 25, unemployment rose by 21,411 individuals (12.77%) in September, totaling 189,141.
Unemployment by Autonomous Communities
In 2026, unemployment decreased in two Autonomous Communities: the Canary Islands (-4,156) and La Rioja (-135). However, it increased in the remaining 15 communities, with the largest increases in Andalusia (6,733), the Community of Madrid (2,773), and Galicia (2,746).
Contracts Registered
During September, a total of 1,597,612 contracts were registered. Of these, 706,948 were permanent contracts, accounting for 44.25% of all contracts.
Unemployment Benefits in August
As of the end of August, there were 1,896,142 beneficiaries of unemployment benefits. The average monthly investment per beneficiary, excluding agricultural subsidies in Andalusia and Extremadura, was €1,203.1, an increase of €31.6 (2.7%) compared to the same month the previous year. The coverage rate of the unemployment protection system in August 2026 reached 87.12%, the highest in the historical series, except for the pandemic period. The total investment in unemployment benefits for August 2026 amounted to €2,242.13 million.
.jpg "Unemployment rises by 0.99% in the Community of Madrid in the last month, with a 4.39% increase in contracts compared to last year")
