In February, the Canary Islands concluded with 903,196 individuals affiliated to Social Security, marking an increase of 35,493 compared to a year ago (+4.09%) and 1,015 more than in January (+0.11%). This achievement positions the archipelago as the leading Spanish region in terms of job creation, boasting a record number of self-employed workers totaling 140,977.
Isabel León, the Deputy Minister of Employment of the Canary Islands Government, highlighted that sectors such as agriculture, hotels and catering, education, and administrative and auxiliary services experienced significant growth in enrollment during February. Notably, there was a considerable uptick in the number of contracts, with 53,042 new contracts signed during the month, marking a 13.57% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Of these contracts, 24,956 were permanent, accounting for 47.05% of the total.
Moreover, the Canary Islands witnessed the most significant reduction in unemployment across Spain over the past year, with 19,436 fewer unemployed individuals (-10.27%) compared to February 2023. In February, unemployment dropped by 88 persons (-0.05%) compared to the previous month.
Long-term unemployment also saw a decline, with 782 fewer individuals (-1.02%) compared to the previous month, reaching its lowest figure since April 2009. Despite these positive trends, efforts will continue to further improve these records.
Analyzing unemployment by economic sectors, a decrease was observed in agriculture (-4.25%), hospitality (-0.57%), industry (-0.66%), construction (-0.96%), and trade (-0.37%), while an increase was noted in other service sectors (0.77%). On an annual basis, unemployment decreased across all economic sectors, with agriculture experiencing the most significant reduction (-23.11%).
Additionally, the number of self-employed workers reached an all-time high, with 140,977 individuals, marking an increase of 2,898 compared to a year ago (+2.1%).
