Unemployment in the Balearic Islands increased by 1.9% in September compared with the same month in 2025, the first year-on-year increase recorded in the archipelago since May 2021. The number of unemployed people stood at 26,547, 493 more than a year ago, an increase that the Balearic Government links to the effects of the extraordinary regularisation process.

By island, unemployment rose particularly sharply in Eivissa, by 6.5%, followed by Formentera (+2.9%) and Mallorca (+1.9%). Menorca was the only island where unemployment fell, with a year-on-year decrease of 4.5%.

The Regional Minister for Employment, Civil Service and Social Dialogue, Catalina Cabrer, highlighted the impact that the regularisation process is having on the figures during the presentation of the September labour market report. “The extraordinary regularisation process is beginning to have an impact on our labour market. For the first time since 2021, year-on-year unemployment has increased and the number of unemployed non-EU foreign nationals has risen by 49%“, Cabrer said.

unemployment in the Balearic Islands

Regional Minister for Employment, Civil Service and Social Dialogue Catalina Cabrer during the presentation of the September labour market report. Photo: CAIB.

The impact of regularisation on unemployment in the Balearic Islands

Of the 26,547 unemployed people registered in September, 1,102 are foreign nationals registered with the SOIB under the RE code, corresponding to the extraordinary regularisation process.

Since the process began, 1,369 jobseekers have been registered under this code. Of these, 1,102 are unemployed (81%), 139 are employed (10.2%) and 46 are permanent seasonal workers (3.4%).

The number registered has increased progressively in recent months, rising from 224 at the end of June to 587 in July, 870 in August and 1,369 in September.

In addition, there were 4,806 unemployed non-EU foreign nationals in September, 1,580 more than a year earlier, representing an increase of 49%. As for the profile of those included in the regularisation process, 89.2% have only primary education and 4.9% have no formal education.

Balearic Islands leads Spain in permanent contracts

Despite the rise in unemployment, recruitment also increased during September. A total of 36,120 new contracts were signed in the Balearic Islands, 3,517 more than a year ago, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.8%.

Permanent contracts accounted for 64.6% of the total, compared with a national average of 44.3%. According to figures presented by the Balearic Government, the Balearic Islands therefore remains the Spanish autonomous community with the highest proportion of permanent contracts.

Social Security registrations also increased. September ended with 682,486 people registered, 29,078 more than in the same month of 2025, an increase of 4.5%.

Meanwhile, the self-employed scheme recorded 110,291 registered workers, accounting for 16.2% of registered employment in the Balearic Islands. This represents 3,014 more self-employed workers than a year ago (+2.8%) and 167 more than in August (+0.2%).