Spain's construction sector shifts jobs to specialized building as traditional housing loses workers

Employment in Spain’s real estate sector is growing, driven by a surge in specialized construction. By June 2026, specialized building firms employed 932,714 workers, an 11.27% increase from the end of 2025, and the overall sector reached 2.242 million affiliates, up 5.32% year‑on‑year.

In contrast, traditional building contractors saw a steep decline, with affiliates falling to 456,794—a 15.51% drop and a loss of 83,859 workers since the end of 2025. The shift reflects both the migration of staff to specialized, industrialized construction and difficulties in attracting qualified labor for conventional projects.

The government’s Strategic Project for Recovery and Economic Transformation (Perte) backs this transition, allocating €1.3 billion over ten years to build 15,000 industrialized homes annually, rising to 20,000 within a decade. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda has issued the latest guidelines for accessing these subsidies.