Spain's unemployment drops to 9.87% as Asturias sees a rise in jobless figures

Spain's latest Labour Force Survey shows the national unemployment rate fell to 9.87%, the lowest level since 2008. Despite the rate decline, the total number of unemployed rose to 22.78 million, a historic high, and the country lost about 100,000 self‑employed workers. Officials warn that job quality remains fragile, with many positions still part‑time, low‑paid and unevenly distributed across regions.

In the autonomous community of Asturias, the picture is less optimistic. The region recorded an increase of 900 unemployed people in the second quarter, bringing the total to 43,500 and pushing the regional unemployment rate up 2.11%. While the tourism campaign generated roughly 3,600 new jobs, the active population grew by 4,500, outpacing job creation. Asturias remains Spain’s lowest‑activity region (52.41% activity rate versus the national 59.29%), with sectoral shifts showing gains in services (+5,400) and construction (+300) but losses in agriculture (‑1,000) and modest growth in industry (+1,100).