Disminuye desempleo en la región de Murcia a 80,254 desempleados

Graph: Link to the graphical list available at the end of the text.

Registered unemployment at public labor services offices decreased by 313 people in March in the Mercia region compared to the previous month (-0.4%) to 80,254 unemployed, according to data published by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy.

The total number of unemployed is the smallest figure in a March month since 2008. Since the beginning of the comparable historical series in 1996, unemployment has decreased in March most of the time in the region (17 times), although it increased eight times, the decrease in the last month is the lowest on record.

Over the past year, unemployment has decreased by 3,175 unemployed, representing a 3.8% decrease.

Across sectors, unemployment decreased in services, with 292 fewer (-0.54%); Agriculture, with 107 fewer (-2.57%); Construction, with 42 fewer (-0.71%), while it increased in previous use, with 124 more (+1.42%); Industry, four more (+0.05%).

By the end of the month, the most unemployed sectors are services (53,870), without previous employment (847), while the sectors with the least unemployed are agriculture (4,051), construction (5,884), industry (7,602).

In terms of gender, out of the 80,254 unemployed registered in March, 49,812 were women, 238 fewer (-0.5%), and 30,442 were men, representing a decrease of 75 in the number of unemployed compared to the previous month (-0.2%).

In March, unemployment among young people under 25 increased, with 264 more unemployed at the end of last month (+3.2%), while unemployment in those aged 25 and over decreased by 577 unemployed (-0.8%).

Madrid (+2,075), Ceuta (+83), and Rioja (+15) were the regions where the number of unemployed increased, while the Valencian Community, Catalonia, and Galicia had the least, with decreases of 4,905, 2,556, and 1,822 respectively.

Recruitment

In March, 42,569 contracts were registered in the Mercia region, 4.9% less than in the same month of the previous year. Of these, 25,438 were indefinite contracts, 1.6% lower than in March of the previous year, and 17,131 were temporary contracts (9.3% less).

Out of the contracts registered in March, 40.24% were temporary (compared to 42.12% the previous month) and 59.76% were indefinite (compared to 57.88% the previous month).

National data

In Spain, registered unemployment at public employment services offices decreased by 13,311 people in March compared to the previous month (-0.5%), mainly due to the services sector, which accounted for much of the decrease in unemployment.

After the March downturn, the total number of unemployed was 2,580,138 people, the smallest figure in a March month since 2008, emphasized the ministry.

The decrease in unemployment recorded last month is less than the drops in March 2024 (-33,405 unemployed) and 2023 (-48,755), but exceeds the decrease in 2022, when unemployment fell by 2,921 people.

In any case, the department led by Yolanda Díaz emphasized that, unlike what happened in 2024, March of this year still does not benefit from the effects of employment during Holy Week and also saw «weighed down» by adverse weather phenomena.

In seasonally adjusted terms, registered unemployment increased by 983 people in March compared to the previous month.

Over the past year, unemployment has decreased by 146,865 people, representing almost 5.4% less, with 78,779 women (-4.8%) in female unemployment and a decrease in male unemployment of 68,086 men (-6.2%).

Services drive unemployment

Depending on the sectors, registered unemployment decreased, especially in services, with 14,461 fewer (-0.7%) unemployed, followed by industry (-1,498 unemployed, -0.7%); Construction, which decreased by 909 unemployed (-0.5%), and agriculture, where 93 people decreased (-0.1%).

On the other hand, unemployment increased in the previous employment group, with 3,650 more unemployed (+1.5%).

Unemployment decreased in March for both sexes, although the decrease was greater in women. Specifically, female unemployment decreased by 9,176 women compared to February (-0.6%), while male unemployment decreased by 4,135 unemployed men (-0.4%).

Therefore, by the end of the third month of 2025, the total number of unemployed women was 1,553,778, the lowest level for this month in 2008, while men totaled 1,026,360 unemployed.

In terms of age, unemployment among those aged 25 and over decreased by 15,949 unemployed in March (-0.66%), while that of young people under 25 increased by 2,638 people (+1.3%). Despite this, the total number of unemployed under 25 was at historic lows for a March month, with 197,524 unemployed.

Unemployment only grows in Madrid and Rioja

Registered unemployment decreased in March in 15 autonomous communities, especially in the Valencian Community (-4,905 people), Catalonia (-2,556 people), and Galicia (-1,822 people).

On the other hand, unemployment grew in two regions: Madrid, which added 2,075 unemployed, and Rioja, with 15 more unemployed than in February.

Regarding provinces, registered unemployment decreased in 41, led by Valencia (-3,315 unemployed), Barcelona (-1,586), and Alicante (-1,426), while it increased elsewhere, highlighting increases in Madrid (+2,075), Jaén (+495), and Córdoba (+183).

On the other hand, registered unemployment among foreigners decreased by 362 people compared to the previous month (-0.1%), bringing the total immigrant unemployment to 362,386, which is 4,055 fewer unemployed (-1.1%).

43.6% of contracts are permanent

In March of this year, 1,166,601 contracts were registered, 3.8% more than in the same month of 2024. Of these, 508,662 were indefinite contracts, 0.7% more than in March 2024. In total, 43.60% of the total contracts made in March were indefinite, a slightly lower percentage than the same month.

Among the indefinite contracts, in March, 236,881 full-time contracts were carried out, 6.4% more than the same month of the previous year; 121,598 were part-time (+2.8%), and 144,183 were fixed-term discontinuous (-8.9%).

Out of all contracts signed in March, 657,939 were temporary contracts, 6.3% more than the same month in 2024. In total, these contracts represented 56.4% of the total contracts made in the third month of 2025.

Unemployment coverage rate at 70.9%

The Ministry also reported that unemployment benefit expenses reached 2,185.2 million euros in February 2025 (the latest available data), 7.8% more than the same month in 2024.

The average monthly expenses per beneficiary, excluding the agricultural subsidy in Andalusia and Extremadura, amounted to 1,299.5 euros in the second month of the year, 19% more than in February of the previous year.

The average gross amount of contributions received by the beneficiary in February was 1,014.5 euros, an increase of 29.9 euros from the same month the previous year (+3%).

The total beneficiaries of unemployment benefits were 1,722,042 people, 9.1% lower than the same month in 2024. The unemployment coverage rate, which was 73.19% a year earlier, was 70.9% in February 2025.