The labour market in Palma closed November with three historic milestones. Female unemployment fell to its lowest level in two decades. Long-term unemployment reached the lowest figure of the last 10 years. Youth unemployment stood at the lowest level in 7 years. These improvements consolidate the positive trend the city has experienced since the start of 2025.

unemployment Balearic Islands September 2024

Photo: Ajuntament de Palma.

All of these groups recorded notable decreases compared with last year:

  • Female unemployment: 7,447 women. 6.23% fewer than in 2024.

  • Youth unemployment: 2,558 young people. 5.96% fewer than in 2024.

  • Long-term unemployment: 5,053 people over the age of 45. 7.25% fewer than in 2024.

In total, Palma recorded 12,988 people out of work in November. This represents a year-on-year decrease of 6.64%. That is 923 fewer people than in 2024. The councillor for Comerç, Restauració i Autònoms, Lupe Ferrer, highlighted the evolution of the labour market and underlined the reduction in unemployment among the most vulnerable groups. She also recalled that the unemployment rate for October stood at 4.48%, the lowest figure in 20 years.

Reduction in unemployment by sectors and occupations

The construction sector recorded the largest fall in unemployment in November, with -2.53%. Among women, the biggest decreases were seen in hairdressers and shelf stackers. Among men, the drop was most notable in construction labourers and bricklayers.
As for activities, the largest decrease among women was in education. For men, the most significant fall was in specialised construction.

Hiring: more than 11,700 contracts in November

In November, 11,717 contracts were signed in Palma. Of these, 7,054 were permanent contracts. Permanent hiring grew by 8.41% year-on-year. Commerce was the sector with the most new hires, followed by hospitality.

Among women, cleaners and sales assistants were the occupations with the highest number of contracts. Among men, waiters and bricklayers topped the list. Commerce and building services accounted for most of the contracts signed by women. For men, food and beverage services and construction stood out.

Social security affiliation: record high for a month of October

Palma reached 268,579 people affiliated to social security in October, the highest figure for this month in 20 years. This represents 47.72% of all affiliations in the Balearic Islands. Although the number of people affiliated fell compared with September, it increased by 4.01% year-on-year.