Spain’s registered unemployment rose by 19,517 in July 2026 compared with the previous month, reaching 2.311 million and still marking the lowest July figure since 2007. This outcome contrasted with market expectations, which had pointed to a decrease of 20,300. The monthly increase was atypical and reflects how July has become less influenced by traditional seasonal patterns. Between 2010 and 2019, registered unemployment fell by an average of 45,467 in July, whereas since the labor market reform the average July decline has narrowed sharply to just 4,981.
The latest rise was driven by higher unemployment in services (+8,211), construction (+2,433), and among first-time job seekers (+8,268). The latter increase is largely linked to the ongoing extraordinary regularization process, which allows previously undocumented workers already living in Spain to register with public employment services for the first time. In parallel, separate Social Security data showed that net employment grew by 79,567 in July, bringing the total number of formal jobs to 22.29 million.
