Unemployment Falls 1.96% in Fuerteventura This September
Canary Islands Record Lowest Unemployment Since 2007 and a Surge in Hiring
The number of unemployed people in the Canary Islands decreased in September by 4,842 jobs (‑3.22%) compared with August, bringing the total to 145,373 job seekers. Over the same period last year, the reduction amounts to 13,297 jobs (‑8.38%).
“It is the lowest figure since 2007,” emphasized Isabel León, Vice‑Councilor for Employment of the Canary Islands Government, highlighting the significance of this decline and the progress in job creation.
Evolution by Age Group
- 45 years and older – traditionally the largest share of unemployment – now at its lowest since March 2010, with 91,266 seekers. This group saw a drop of 2,490 people month‑on‑month and 7,965 year‑on‑year.
- 25 to 45 years – continued improvement, down 2,766 jobs (‑5.64%) in the last month and 4,455 (‑8.78%) compared with the same period last year.
- Under 25 – a modest monthly increase of 414 people (+5.60%), but the annual trend is clearly positive, with a reduction of 877 jobs (‑10.09%) year‑on‑year.
“The annual evolution shows a clearly positive trend, reflecting a sustained improvement in youth unemployment compared with last year,” added Isabel León.
Long‑Term Unemployment
Long‑term unemployment stands at 67,304 individuals, the lowest level since February 2009, down 921 jobs (‑1.35%) from the previous month and 6,729 (‑9.09%) over the past year.
Hiring Surge
María Teresa Ortega, Director of the Canary Employment Service (SCE), praised the hiring rebound recorded in September:
“A total of 67,441 contracts were signed, which is 9,900 more (+17.21%) than the previous month. Our goal is to keep strengthening the labour market by implementing employment and training policies.”
Sector‑by‑Sector Decline (Absolute Numbers)
- Rest of Services: ‑3,560 jobs (‑4.94%)
- Commerce: ‑663 jobs (‑2.67%)
- Hospitality: ‑356 jobs (‑1.60%)
- Construction: ‑290 jobs (‑2.31%)
- Industry: ‑176 jobs (‑3.25%)
- Agriculture: ‑117 jobs (‑4.84%)
Year‑on‑Year Sector Reductions (Percentages)
- Agriculture: ‑14.85%
- Construction: ‑13.77%
- Industry: ‑9.35%
- Hospitality: ‑6.85%
- Commerce: ‑6.52%
- Rest of Services: ‑7.23%
Island‑Specific Results
All islands recorded a decline in unemployment, with the most notable drops:
- Gran Canaria: ‑2,263 jobs (‑3.45%)
- Tenerife: ‑2,003 jobs (‑3.09%)
- Lanzarote: ‑313 jobs (‑4.42%)
- La Palma: ‑131 jobs (‑2.27%)
- Fuerteventura: ‑109 jobs (‑1.96%)
- La Gomera: ‑22 jobs (‑2.45%)
- El Hierro: ‑1 job (‑0.18%)
All islands also show favorable annual trends in unemployment.