More than 10,000 jobs created for third consecutive month in Malaga province, with almost 750,000 employed

In the last four months, some 36,000 new jobs have been created in Malaga province. The last three months have been particularly fast-paced - with more than 10,000 new Social Security registrations each month. In February there was an increase of almost 5,000 registered, in March almost 11,000, in April almost 16,000 and in May (according to data published this week) 10,231. Malaga has set a new all-time record for employment, with 745,328 people in work, and is approaching the milestone of 750,000.

Unemployment, meanwhile, continued its downward curve, more gently than the growth in employment. May closed with 112,572 people registered as unemployed in the Andalusian employment service (SAE), which is 2,949 fewer than at the beginning of the month.

Malaga's employment increase in May is the highest recorded in Andalucía and one of the strongest in Spain as a whole. Only the Balearic Islands (+51,237), Barcelona (+16,690) and Madrid (+13,103) are above it. The incorporation of new staff in the tourism industry and all the services linked to it is the main driver of this boost in employment, although not the only one. Other sectors are also contributing to the increase in recruitment, from construction to manufacturing, health and technology. Unemployment also fell in May in Malaga in all sectors, although the main pull was in the services sector, which reduced the number of unemployed by 2,140 compared with the previous month.

Currently Malaga has 23,591 more people in employment than a year ago. It is the fourth province in Spain with the greatest increase in employment in absolute terms (behind Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia) and the second in relative terms, since only Tenerife has grown in occupation by a greater percentage than Malaga (3.27%).

Unemployment has decreased by 10,212 since last year. There are Andalusian provinces with a greater drop in unemployment, both in absolute terms (Seville and Cadiz) and by percentage (Huelva, Jaen, Cadiz and Almeria).

Malaga still has over 100,000 unemployed, with a pool of long-term unemployment that is proving difficult to reduce.