The number of unemployed people registered with the Public State Employment Service (SEPE) increased by 23,587 in September, up 1% from August, bringing the total to 2,379,505. Despite the monthly increase, this is the lowest registered unemployment figure for a September since 2007.
Compared with September 2025, registered unemployment fell by 42,160 people, representing a year-on-year decrease of 1.74%.
At the end of September, 56,476 unemployed people were registered after taking part in the extraordinary regularisation process. Of these, 52% had been registered with SEPE for less than one month.
Unemployment by economic sector
Construction recorded a decrease of 1,726 unemployed people, down 1.04% from August. Unemployment in Industry was virtually unchanged, increasing by just 39 people, or 0.02%.
Services recorded an increase of 6,707 unemployed people, equivalent to 0.40%, while Agriculture saw unemployment rise by 601 people, or 0.87%.
The largest increase was among people with No Previous Employment, where unemployment rose by 17,966 people, an increase of 7.39%.
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Registered unemployment in Spain rises by 23,587 in September to 2,379,505, the lowest level for the month since 2007. Unemployment among women, men and young people
Female unemployment increased by 9,648 in September, or 0.68%, bringing the total number of unemployed women to 1,428,405. This is the lowest level recorded for a September since 2008.
Male unemployment rose by 13,939 people, an increase of 1.49%, to a total of 951,100.
Compared with September 2025, female unemployment fell by 40,499 (-2.76%), while male unemployment decreased by 1,661 (-0.17%).
Among people aged under 25, registered unemployment increased by 21,411 during September, or 12.77% compared with the previous month, bringing the total to 189,141.
Unemployment falls in the Canary Islands and La Rioja
Registered unemployment decreased in two autonomous communities during September. The Canary Islands recorded 4,156 fewer unemployed people, while La Rioja registered a decrease of 135.
Unemployment increased in the remaining 15 autonomous communities, with the largest rises in absolute terms recorded in Andalusia, with 6,733 more unemployed people; the Community of Madrid, with 2,773; and Galicia, with 2,746.
Almost 1.6 million contracts registered
A total of 1,597,612 employment contracts were registered during September. Of these, 706,948 were permanent contracts, representing 44.25% of the total.
At the end of August, 1,896,142 people were receiving unemployment benefits.
Average monthly spending per beneficiary, excluding the agricultural subsidy in Andalusia and Extremadura, reached €1,203.1 in August 2026, an increase of €31.6, or 2.7%, compared with the same month a year earlier.
Unemployment protection coverage reached 87.12% in August, the highest level in the historical series apart from the pandemic period. Total expenditure on benefits during the month amounted to €2.24213 billion.