Female employment in the Balearic Islands has reached the highest level ever recorded, exceeding the indicators observed across Spain as a whole. This is highlighted in the report “Women and the Labour Market in the Balearic Islands”, prepared by the Labour Observatory of the Balearic Islands (OTIB) and presented by the Minister of Labour, Public Administration and Social Dialogue, Catalina Cabrer.
According to the report, women in the Balearic Islands continue to strengthen their presence in the labour market, with several indicators performing above the national average. The female employment rate stands at 68.1%, which is 4.4 percentage points higher than the Spanish average of 63.7%. This figure represents the highest level recorded in the historical series for the region and reflects a year-on-year increase of 1.6 percentage points.
TDB keeps you informed. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Female employment reaches a record high in the Balearic Islands and surpasses the national average
The female activity rate, which measures the proportion of women participating in or seeking to participate in the labour market, reaches 75.0%. This level is 2.6 points higher than the national average of 72.4%, placing the Balearic Islands as the fourth autonomous community with the highest female labour market participation in Spain.
In terms of Social Security affiliation, women account for 46.9% of the total number of registered workers in the Balearic Islands. Female affiliation has grown by 2.6% compared with the previous year. Since 2019, female employment has increased at a faster pace than male employment, with a growth rate of 15.7% compared with 13.6% among men. The number of women registered as self-employed workers has also increased, with a 2.5% rise compared with 2024, highlighting the growing role of female entrepreneurship in the regional economy.
Employment quality indicators also show favourable results. The temporary employment rate among women stands at 15.7%, which is below the national average of 17.6%. Similarly, the female part-time employment rate is 15.9%, significantly lower than the Spanish average of 21.4%.
Regarding unemployment, the year 2025 closed with 15,572 women registered as unemployed in the Balearic Islands, representing 56.8% of the total number of unemployed individuals, within a context marked by historically low unemployment levels.
Educational indicators also reflect positive outcomes for women in the region. Among those aged between 25 and 34, 52% of women hold higher education qualifications, compared with 34.6% of men. In addition, the rate of early school leaving among women stands at 7.5%, substantially lower than the 23.0% recorded among men, providing a strong foundation for professional development and labour market integration.
Regarding the gender pay gap, data corresponding to 2023 show that the Balearic Islands register a difference of 8.7% between male and female earnings. This represents the second lowest gender pay gap among Spain’s autonomous communities and remains significantly below the national average of 15.7%.
The Minister of Labour, Public Administration and Social Dialogue, Catalina Cabrer, emphasized the positive evolution of women’s participation in the labour market in the Balearic Islands, noting that the region shows stronger indicators than the national average. At the same time, she stressed that further progress is still needed and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continue promoting policies aimed at strengthening equal opportunities, improving employment quality and supporting the long-term integration of women into the labour market.