Unemployment Rates Experience Surge in February Amid Historical Context

In February 2026, registered unemployment in public employment services offices climbed by 3,584 individuals, marking the largest increase for this month since 2021. This increase is primarily attributed to the services sector and a significant rise among those with no prior employment, predominantly young people seeking their first job. The data, released by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, highlights a total of 2,442,646 unemployed individuals, which remains the lowest figure for a February in the past 18 years, despite the month-on-month increase. Historically, February has seen fluctuations in unemployment rates. Since 1996, February experienced unemployment rises in 14 out of 31 years, with the most significant increase occurring in 2009 when over 154,000 more people became unemployed. Interestingly, while February 2026 witnessed an uptick, prior years saw decreases: 5,994 in 2024, 7,452 in 2023, and a smaller increase of 2,618 in 2022. In seasonally adjusted figures, unemployment fell by 3,718 people, indicating that the rise may not reflect ongoing trends but seasonal adjustments. Over the past year, a total decrease of 150,803 in unemployment has been noted, with a significant drop of 89,541 in female unemployment and 61,262 in male unemployment, representing reductions of 47% and 59%, respectively. The growth in unemployment was particularly concentrated among those with no previous employment, which saw an increase by 6,263 individuals compared to January. Additionally, the services sector contributed to a rise of 1,158 unemployed. In contrast, other sectors reported decreases; construction saw a drop of 2,140, industry decreased by 1,122, and agriculture fell by 575. The gender breakdown revealed that female unemployment rose by 4,130 while male unemployment decreased by 546. The total number of unemployed women was recorded at 1,473,413, marking the lowest level for a February in nearly two decades, while men accounted for 969,233 unemployed. Age demographics show concerning trends among the youth. Unemployment among individuals under 25 increased by 4.7%, with 8,516 more young people unemployed compared to January. However, even with this rise, the total for this age group remains at a historical low of 189,408 for February. Geographically, unemployment changes varied across regions and provinces. In February, reductions were noted in 6 autonomous communities, while increases occurred in 11, with significant rises in Madrid (3,694 unemployed), Catalonia (2,039), and Castilla-La Mancha (1,070). Notably, Andalusia, the Basque Country, and the Community of Valencia recorded substantial decreases, leading the way in the downturn. Among immigrants, there was a rise of 4,866 unemployed, totaling 348,559 unemployed foreign individuals, which still reflects a year-on-year reduction of 14,189. On the employment front, February 2026 saw a total of 1,118,996 contracts registered, representing a nearly 19% increase compared to February 2025. Of these contracts, 494,001 were permanent, a rise of 25% year-on-year. Consequently, permanent contracts constituted 44% of all transactions, surpassing the 41.6% recorded in January. Temporary contracts also saw a significant increase to 624,995, which accounted for 55.8% of contracts in the month. The overall trend of contracts in the first two months of the year shows a decrease of 13% compared to the same period in 2025. The Ministry of Labor reported increased expenditure on unemployment benefits, which reached €22.683 billion in January 2026, a 24% rise from the previous year. The average monthly expenditure per beneficiary was €1,574.7, reflecting a growth of €256 annually. The total number of beneficiaries stood at 1,871,811, a significant 35% increase from January 2025, and the unemployment coverage rate improved to 81.9%, the highest for this month in history. Overall, while February has shown to be a challenging month for registered unemployment, particularly for young first-time job seekers, the historical context frames these numbers within a broader narrative of improving trends in the labor market. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2