Spain sees 57% surge in self‑employed workers holding simultaneous jobs

Data from the Spanish Ministry of Labour show that 274,463 self‑employed workers were registered as practising pluriactividad in June 2026, a rise of 56.6% compared with 2020. Most combine a full‑ or part‑time salaried job with a small business, professional service or other activity, and the trend is spread across regions and sectors, from retail to consulting and hospitality. The increase reflects a structural response to rising living costs that outpace wages, prompting many to seek extra income through self‑employment.

An accompanying editorial notes that autonomous workers appear to have fewer sickness‑absence days because they must cover their own sick‑pay, which can create hidden costs for the social‑security system and foster concerns about a form of "minor corruption" where small firms shift workload and expenses onto employees while the self‑employed bear the financial burden themselves.