In March, unemployment registered in the offices of the Public Employment Services (SEPE) fell by 22,934 people compared to the previous month thanks, mainly, to the services sector. In addition, Social Security contributors reached 22 million for the first time in seasonally adjusted terms. Specifically, according to data published this Monday by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, total registered unemployment has stood at 2,419,712 people, the lowest figure in the month of March for 18 years. Female unemployment fell by 14,841 women (-1%), to 1,458,572, marking its lowest figure in this month since 2008. Male unemployment stood at 961,140 men, decreasing by 8,093 (-0.8%) in relation to the month of February. By economic sectors, compared to February, registered unemployment decreased in Services by 18,852 people (-1.1%), Construction by 5,846 people (-3.4%) and Industry by 1,482 people (-0.8%). On the contrary, it increased slightly in Agriculture by 365 people (0.5%) and among the group Without Previous Employment by 2,881 people (1.3%). Regarding unemployment among those under 25 years of age, it decreased in the month of March by 431 people (-0.2%) compared to the previous month. The total number of unemployed young people stands at 188,977, the lowest figure recorded in a month of March in the historical series. By Autonomous Community, unemployment registered in March fell by 14. The falls in absolute figures occurred in Andalusia (-8,836), Catalonia (-3,777) and the Valencian Community (-2,467). Meanwhile, it barely varies in the remaining three: Comunidad de Canarias (843 people), Comunidad de Madrid (342 people) and País Vasco (179 people). Regarding contracting, the total number of contracts registered during March was 1,311,070. Of these, 576,532 employment contracts are indefinite, representing almost 44% of all contracts, and 34,538 were temporary contracts. Among permanent contracts, 251,990 full-time contracts were signed, 177,337 permanent-discontinuous contracts and 147,205 part-time contracts. Finally, regarding benefits, the existing beneficiaries at the end of February were a total of 1,842,216 people. The coverage of the unemployment protection system during the month of February 2026 was 80.7% and marks its highest value in the historical series in that month. The average monthly investment per beneficiary person, not including the agricultural subsidy of Andalusia and Extremadura, in the month of February 2026 was 1,610.2 euros, which represents an increase over the same month of the previous year of 310.7 euros (23.9%). The total investment in February 2026 amounted to 2,255.5 million euros. AFFILIATION RECORD For its part, Social Security has registered 21,882,147 average affiliates in the third month of the year, with 211,510 more employees compared to February. Thus, the best month of March has been recorded since there are records. Daily membership has remained above 21.9 million from March 16 to March 30. Furthermore, in seasonally adjusted terms, the number of Social Security affiliates has exceeded 22 million for the first time, standing at 22,010,532. The labor market has added 80,274 workers in the last month. «We are transforming the labor market of our country: we have surpassed the historical milestone of 22 million Social Security affiliates, after adding 2.2 million jobs since the labor reform and 3.3 million since 2018,» highlights the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz. «In less than two years, we have added two million members on average. It is a very positive figure that includes several record figures. In the month of March, almost 10.4 million members have been registered, the highest figure in the series. A record has also been set in foreign members, which exceed 3.15 million for the first time in average membership,» he adds. The average membership gained 115,564 members (+1.1%), placing the total number of employed women at 10,372,812, a new historical high. Male membership grew by 95,947 men, to a total of 11,509,335. The General Regime added 194,217 average affiliates in March (+1.07%), for a total of 18.39 million. In particular, Hospitality registered the greatest increase, with 79,701 new employees (+5.6%), ahead of Administrative Activities with 17,206 (+1.2%) and Construction with 17,156 more (+1.7%). The Special Agrarian System registered 3,895 registrations (+0.6%) and the Home System 3,886 registrations (-1.1%). Meanwhile, the Self-Employed Regime (RETA) added 14,920 contributors (+0.4%), bringing the total number of self-employed workers to a new high of 3,429,534 people. By Autonomous Community, average affiliation rose in March in all of them, but it did so above all in Andalusia (+50,543 employed), the Balearic Islands (+35,108) and Catalonia (+32,415).
